An Heir of Grace
by Manhattanite
Summary: Helena and Myka's adventures in Manhattan continue as they embark on achieving the next milestone. Things are not going as planned and the great scientist is having trouble understanding just how that could be! The team comes to the rescue just as someone else needs Helena to rescue them.
1. A House Divided

**Welcome and thank you for joining me again (I hope).**

* * *

 **A House Divided**

 **London, 1883 - The Wells Residence**

The women passing by the house that morning jumped and clutched their purses closer to them, men put their arms around them to protect them, and horses reared their heads at the terrible sound. The wails that emanated from the house were loud and frightening, to say the least. Not only was this cause for concern, but it was absolutely unheard of in the upper class section of the city.

Unless, of course, someone was being murdered!

The yelling caused a concerned neighbor to summon the police – _again_. Three of them appeared and one stepped forward and used the brass ring knocker to knock on the door. Much to the resident's horror, a small group of curious onlookers gathered across the street when he answered. The man apologized to the constables, and assured them that there was no need for alarm. The outburst was, he explained, a simple emotional reaction on the part of his daughter. The gentleman of the house was reminded that it wasn't the first time a flare-up like this earned him a visit, and although he expressed his regret profusely, they warned him that next time they were summoned unnecessarily; they would take the offender into custody. ' _If you can't handle the situation, guvnor, I'm sure we can_ ,' he was told. ' _It's unladylike for a woman of seventeen years_ ,' another said and the father raised his eyebrows in surprise they knew her age. Then, he thanked them, closed the door, and drew his handkerchief out to wipe the perspiration off his brow. His wife was standing there, arms crossed and her foot tapping. He knew she was waiting to hear how he was going to rectify the situation…. this time.

'I'll talk to her,' he said as he made his way to the door leading to the basement. His wife reminded him that he tried that last time and the time before that and the one before that. "Give her time," he pleaded as he made his own escape down the stairs. He had a very clear understanding of what it meant to be caught between a rock and hard place when this happened.

As he descended the stairs, he could see the room was in a worsened state of disarray. Not that it was ever neat, but he could tell papers had been flung and test tubes swept off the table. The clatter had been caused by objects being thrown as the perpetrator shouted how imprudent someone was not to listen to her.

Now, all he heard were the unmistakable sounds of soft sobs.

"Darling, what is it?" he asked, rushing to her side and lifting her tear stained cheeks to face him.

"He's dead, father!" she said and sobbed again, pressing her head into his jacket.

"Darling, who is dead?" he worried as his hand covered her head to soothe her.

She reached for the paper and showed him the morning paper. In it was an article reporting that the last _quagga,_ a subspecies of the plains zebra once found in great numbers in Africa and now held in captivity at the London Zoological Society, had died.

It was, sadly, the very last specimen of its kind.

"Oh dear, Helena, I am sorry," her father said because it was sad news. "Were you particularly fond…?" he asked because she seemed so distressed.

The young girl picked up her head, cheeks tear stained, yet fury building in her eyes. "I could have saved him! Now, because they wouldn't listen, the quagga are extinct, Father," she explained. "Do you understand what extinct means?" she sobbed and meant no disrespect.

"Extinct? There are no….?" he inquired.

"No! The Dutch eradicated them in Africa in droves and there were but a few left in captivity and I told the _damn_ fools…."

" _Language_ ," her father interjected because there was never an excuse for profanity from a young woman.

"I told them that the food was being stored improperly and if they continued to do so, they would poison the animal. But they didn't listen!" Helena said and the anger rose in her chest. If there was one thing George Wells' daughter could not tolerate, it was ineptness. "I want them hanged!" she shouted and her father begged her to keep her voice down.

"Helena, how did you know …about any of this?" her father asked, knowing this would be one of the first things her mother asked.

That caught Helena's attention. She was not allowed to go unchaperoned to the zoo, nor anywhere for that matter.

"Nickola…took me," Helena lied and her father saw through it.

"Oh? When was Mr. Tesla here?" her father asked, knowing fully well when the man visited because his wife kept careful tabs.

"He..was…recently," Helena tried, but her father knew she was lying. She never could look him in the eye when she was fabricating something. "I went …there…..last week. At night. I needed a sample of the quagga's blood…," she admitted and now her father wished she hadn't shared the details.

"Oh, Helena," he said, putting his head in his hands. The police showing up for noise was one thing, but they would surely haul her away if they knew she had broken into the zoo.

"It's fine," the youth said in her usual dismissive manner when she thought too big a deal was being made of something. "The thing is, Father, I told them that he was infected. I warned them that his food was getting contaminated. And they wouldn't listen!"

"Helena, what made you think they would listen to a…..," and Mr. Wells almost said the word that would certainly send his daughter over the edge. It was too late.

"To a what, Father?" she asked, her hands on her hips and her dark eyes becoming more stormy.

"Oh, Lord," her father uttered because now he was thinking he was safer upstairs with his wife.

"To a _woman_?!" Helena yelled and then the tirade began as her father begged her to keep her voice down, but to no avail.

Finally, she slammed her rolled up fists down on the table and declared; "Mark my words, Father, someday the world will come to the know the genius of Helena G. Wells and they will listen and they will be in awe!"

"I am sure they will….," her father tried.

"GEORGE!" Mrs. Wells yelled. "The police are here!"

"Someday, my dear, but today is not that day," he sighed as he climbed back up the stairs to address the police.

As the man of the house made his way to the front door, he heard the sound of the lock on the basement door as he daughter lashed out in perfect French. Anytime Helena felt her attempts to do something amazing, like saving the last quagga on earth, were thwarted, she cursed like a sailor in French and locked herself in the basement for days.

At least the police couldn't get to her.

That night, as the full moon shone brightly through the window of her laboratory, the young Helena Wells swore she would never let anyone …or anything …interfere with her experiments again!

* * *

 **Manhattan – Present Day – Bering-Wells Residence**

Myka sighed and gently banged her head against the basement door frame. She had just come up for the third time that morning, each time trying to persuade Helena to join her for breakfast. Each time, Helena barely lifted her head from the table, unless it was to kiss Myka goodbye. Each time, Myka lingered there – hoping that the kiss wouldn't leave her feeling … _something_. Something not good. Helena's kisses were always warm and loving. Even when she was busy, Helena always slowed down long enough to make sure her lips pressed into Myka's and lingered. Now, it was a quick touch and it made Myka feel – like she was being _tolerated_. The Brit politely refused and barely listened when Myka asked her if she were going to work again. It was going on three weeks. At first, it was Helena working from home. Then it was late into the night. Now, it was missing from work for days, staying up all night, and falling asleep on the couch in the afternoons.

Myka understood her wife's scientific nature and drive, but she was bordering on obsessive now. Something wasn't going Helena's way and she was hell bent on changing that. What Myka understood to be how the life works sometimes, her wife decided the universe was waging war against her. And she was not about to lose.

Myka didn't want to admit it, but she was seeing something in Helena that she hadn't seen in a long time. The Brit was determined to find the solution to their problem, but unlike the days of " _Solving puzzles and saving the day_ " together, this time Helena was going it alone. In fact, Myka was beginning to sense that Helena thought of her as a nuisance when she went down to the laboratory.

' _Give her time'_ , Myka had originally decided. ' _She just needs to focus'_ – she told herself. But that was three weeks ago and Myka was becoming impatient. She missed Helena – at work and especially at home. Even when Helena was there at the table across from her, she wasn't there. She barely ate, but when she did, it was while looking over notes.

Myka was tired to eating alone, sleeping alone, of …being alone. She had never known a missing quite like this. Myka hated to admit it, but the very thing that should be bringing them closer, seemed to be coming between them. She had tried everything to persuade Helena to come out of the basement and nothing worked.

It if weren't for the 9 AM class she was teaching that day, Myka would have moved heaven and earth to stay with her wife. Unfortunately, she couldn't move sixty five first year law students because they were already traveling in route to Wells Corp in Times Square. There was a piece of Myka – a very small piece – tired of trying and getting shut down.

As Myka left through the front door of the Townhouse, someone was coming in through the back door in the kitchen. Knowing that something was terribly amiss, and seeing how Myka looked at work these past few days, she thought she could perhaps help. No one was happier to see her than Leena, who filled her in as best she could. The woman sat there listening intently and decided to wait for Helena to emerge from the basement. She took her coffee into the dining room.

She wouldn't have to wait too long.

The noise that swelled from the downstairs room at the 1866 Central Park West residence reminded the first floor occupant of the noise of an orchestra warming up before the performance; chaotic and loud. The woman continued to sip her coffee and turned the page over of the newspaper sprawled out in front of her. In other words, she didn't bat an eye in spite of the banging and yelling that rang in the hallway outside the room. It wasn't until she heard the distinct sound of French being uttered did she herself say – 'oh,oh'.

The switch to a foreign tongue was always a sign of complete frustration.

"C'est impossible! J'ai vérifié et revérifié chaque étape et ça ne peut pas être erroné. Je suis sûre de moi, et quand je suis sûre, le monde entier ferait mieux de s'accorder avec moi. Tu m'entends, Dieu ? Je n'ai aucune patience pour cela !" ( _This is impossible! I checked and rechecked every step and there is no way it is incorrect. I am certain, and when I am certain, the world best get in line. Do you hear me, God? I have no patience for this!)_

"I think Myka is at her wits' end," Leena whispered as she poured Irene another cup of java.

"Then I pray for the rest of us," Irene said in response. Myka was never one to exaggerate a feeling.

"It's been awful here. I've never seen their auras so pale," the reader of energies shared.

There was another stream of yelling in both languages this time.

"I'm getting too old for this," Irene muttered.

"From the sound of that temper tantrum, I'd say it's Helena who's a little too …oh, gotta go!" Leena said as her boss appeared in the doorway. Helena glared at the woman and then turned her eyes on Irene.

In spite of Leena telling Irene how bad things had gotten, the woman was still a little surprised at the just how disheveled Helena appeared. For a woman who was always impeccably dressed, with nary a hair out of place, this was quite the transformation. Helena's hair was pulled back in a bun, but the sides had fallen out and were greasy strands around her face. She was dressed in black pants and a white blouse that was misbuttoned and wrinkled. The woman, who had perfect balance in three inch heels, was in socks.

And when she sat down in the chair, she was slouching.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Helena asked, glaringly. Irene was still taking in Helena's current state when she realized what she wasn't experiencing. There was no Chanel No. 5 wafting into the room. In fact, Irene pulled back at the odor that suddenly invaded her space.

Myka had told her Helena had been working day and night in the basement laboratory. Apparently, she had been working up quite a sweat in doing so.

"The board of health called me," Irene said, staring at the woman.

"Why would the board…never mind. Is it possible that I could get a cup of what she calls ….no, I can't even say the word. LEENA?" Helena shouted and there was no mistaking her tone. Leena appeared with the teacup and placed it done, the whole time staring at Irene with pleading eyes that begged – " _Do something!"_

"What is going on, Helena?" Irene asked concerned at what she was seeing. Helena not appearing at work was unusual. Helena throwing temper tantrums was a little regressive, but not disturbing. Helena looking like hell was …..definitely a cause for alarm.

Helena waited for Leena to leave the room. "Where is Myka?" she asked as she winced at the taste of the tea. "Why is it impossible for that woman to make anything close to resembling tea? It's boiling water! It's a teabag! Did you know I told her not to bother with tea leaves?" Helena asked in horror. "I mean, really Irene, how much farther could I meet the woman?" she asked and quickly picked up the wet teabag to demonstrate how far she had sunk.

"Yes, you've been more than gracious….," Irene said not wanting to get off topic. "What is going on, Helena. I'm concerned." Irene didn't offer her sincerest thoughts so early in a conversation with the Brit unless she really was worried.

Helena shoved the teacup, spilling the contents. "Oh, bloody hell," she said.

"Helena?" Irene said softly, hoping to calm her boss down enough to talk.

Helena's eyes met Irene's and in that moment, the HR Director swore she saw them pleading – but it was short lived. "I'm busy," she said slowly.

"You look like hell," Irene said, deciding now wasn't the time to be subtle.

"Who the bloody hell asked you?" Helena said and scowled. There was no time to worry about appearances.

"Myka is worried, Helena," Irene said, deflecting the Brit's anger.

That got Helena's attention. "What do you want from me? I am doing this for Myka!" she yelled and Irene realized she had never seen the anger so close to the surface in her friend. She reached across the short distance between them and put her hand on Helena's.

"I want you to tell me what's going on," Irene said quietly.

Helena's eyes darted from her hand to Irene's eyes. It was meant as an aggressive move, but it didn't reach its intended target. Helena's breathing quickened and her jaw tightened. Irene swore she saw Helena's lips start to move, but instead of letting her in by sharing what had her so upset, she uttered one word; "No."

"Helena, please….," Irene started, but Helena didn't have the time or the patience, even for her dearest friend.

"Irene, I know you mean well. Your good intentions are noted. But I am in the middle of something very critical and I can't begin to explain it, nor do I want to. I have a problem and I want to be left alone with it! What is that so difficult to comply with?" Helena said, standing up now and running her hand through her hair, only to have it become more unkempt.

"And will you at least talk to Myka, about this problem?" Irene asked gently.

"Myka? Ha! You want me to talk to Myka? About this?" she ranted - her accent thickening as she spoke.

"Does that sound absurd to you?" Irene asked confused.

Helena spun around and threw her hands up. She huffed as air shot out threw her nostrils in anger. She placed her palms on the table, and pushed down into Irene's face, who could now see how bloodshot and tired her eyes were.

"For your information, madam, Myka….. _is_ the problem!"

Irene didn't flinch because – the woman never did. But that didn't mean her heart didn't ache when she heard Helena say what she said. Helena stared down and saw the reaction in the woman's chestnut eyes and couldn't stand to watch.

"Please go!" Helena said, then turned and walked out of the room.

Within seconds, Leena came back into the room to a motionless Irene. "Bad, right?" the Domestic Director asked.

"Worse than I thought," Irene admitted. "Much worse."

* * *

Thank you to **69reggaetongirl** for Helena's impeccable French.


	2. Collateral Damage

**Collateral Damage**

 **Colorado University – Law School - 2002**

Professor Calvert threw the paper down on his desk. He pushed his hands at his face, trying to expel the frustration he felt at the moment. A man of principle, he was aware that he faced with quite the dilemma. His best student just handed him a sub par essay and he knew it. He thought long and hard about what his options were. What was his endgame? Teach the student to write good papers? Or teach the student to dig deep and trust herself as a lawyer?

Even though it was college, Myka Bering didn't like being called to anyone's office. It reminded her of being called to the principal's office in grammar school when a bunch of kids were fighting on the playground and Myka got pulled into it as collateral damage. She was sitting on the bench reading, but by the time the teachers got there, everyone was hauled in. She would never forget the look on the principal's face when she uttered her total surprise that Myka was there and expressed how disappointed she was. School had always been a safe haven for Myka. She _never_ disappointed. So when the professor expressed his dismay, it sent Myka spiraling. She wanted to throw up. But Professor Calvert was not there to be punitive. He was there to help one of the brightest future lawyers dig down and believe in her gut instinct.

"This is crap," he said throwing the paper across the desk and felt only a little sorry when he saw the panicked look on his student's face.

"But you asked us to present the facts ….," the young law student said.

"Myka, I think you chose law because you like the black and white," the professor said in a softer tone. "You think because facts are laid out for you, you don't have to worry. But Myka, you lose the most important thing when you rely on just the _ipso facto_ ," he cautioned. He saw the quizzically look on her face. "You lose your heart, Bering. You lose faith in yourself and that will never help your client."

Myka cast her eyes down, embarrassed that she had forgotten that. Or did she ever know it? He was right in that Myka did like the safety studying law brought her. Now he was asking her to do something she found very difficult – have self-confidence.

"I'm going to give you something I rarely give people, Myka Bering," the seasoned law professor said. Myka looked up at him. "A second chance. Rewrite this paper, Myka. And not with just the facts of the case. Not just with your brain. Don't leave out your heart, your passion. Your argument is sound, but your voice is nowhere to be found in that paper. Find your voice, Myka."

From that moment on, Myka listened to this man who seemed to know her so well. Knowing the law was never an issue for the intelligent woman; knowing herself was another matter.

* * *

 **Present Day – Wells Corp, Manhattan**

Myka was cordial as always when greeting the students in her newly formed class even though it was the last place she wanted to be. The class on _Corporate Law 101_ took place once a week in the auditorium at Wells Corp and was filled to capacity. Her former professor, who was teaching at Columbia now, never gave up on trying to persuade her to teach a course. Myka finally agreed to teach it after Helena convinced her they should seek outside interests in order to prepare for their lives after Wells Corp. Her wife told her it would give her a taste to see if teaching was something she really wanted to do. At the time, Myka and Helena were so busy planning for their futures that she probably would have tried anything Helena suggested. ' _Let's be astronauts_!' Myka mocked in an English accent in the mirror one morning to show how gullible she felt she was. ' _Go up into space? Without any training? Of course, Helena, why not_?' she continued and gritted her teeth.

Now, while she was busy teaching, Helena was busy brooding in the basement.

'Quiz!' she said and there was a collective groan. Truth was, Myka couldn't concentrate and used the test as a ruse to keep from exposing that fact. And she was finally finding a satisfactory way to take her frustration out on the world! Why should everyone else get to go along just fine when the world was torturing her? ' _The whole world_?' she heard the little voice in her head ask as she put up three questions on the white board and told them to answer in essay form. ' _Yes_ ,' she finally answered herself. ' _Helena is my whole world_.'

She was a mess and worse, it was beginning to seep through. Myka prided herself on keeping her emotions in check, but this was too hard to contain. She was losing it and she knew it. With Helena MIA at work, people sought Myka out to assure them everything was going to be okay. At first, she told them of course, without any hesitation. But as the days wore on and Helena seemed to sink deeper and deeper into her own world, Myka's tone sounded less reassuring.

 _That_ was cause for alarm.

Everyone noticed it, but the first to step up and try to do something was Myka's closest friend, Bridget Cummings. When Myka finished the class that day, she returned to her office, feeling guilty that she hadn't taught them anything except how to get swept up in your wife's absence.

"Hold my calls," Myka said to Millie, her assistant who traded glances with Bridget who sat in the waiting area. Myka never even saw her.

"It's bad," Millie whispered because she was certain Bridget was a good friend.

The long legged woman took a deep breath and nodded. Then she went into Myka's office unannounced. "How about lunch, BFF?" Bridget said, making her entrance. She saw Myka smile, but the pain behind it was palpable.

"No, thanks, Bridg, I have so much to do," Myka said, even though her desk was clear.

"Yeah, I can see that. So what's going on, kiddo?" Bridget asked, making herself comfortable and letting Myka know she wasn't leaving until she got an answer.

"Nothing, it's….," and Myka couldn't finish the sentence. She could put on a show for her younger friends, but not with Bridget. "Helena."

"She's been absent from more than one important meeting," Bridget said as an aside, letting Myka know she was aware that something was going on with her wife. "It's not like the Brit."

"No, she's…..," Myka tried to explain and words kept getting stuck in her throat. She tried clearing her throat before adding, " ….working on something." She couldn't even tell Bridget what it was.

"Well, unless she's working on a cure for male pattern baldness, I can't imagine her missing work," Bridget said and really she meant was, _upsetting her friend_.

"She's kind of focused," Myka said, but it came out more like a question.

"And can I assume that you've tried….," Bridget said, moving up in her seat to get closer, "…different things to _unfocus_ her?"

Myka knew exactly what her dear friend meant, but it tapped into Myka's feeling of being rejected because nothing she thought of worked. "She's working so hard, she's exhausted."

"Look, sweetie, I'm the first one to know what work stress can do to a couple and I can't give you any ideas that you _probably_ haven't considered," Bridget said sympathetically, "…but you're hurting, Myka and I don't know what's got Helena all wrapped up, but maybe she needs a break. An _enforced_ break."

Myka's eyes darted up to meet Bridget's to make sure she understood. She laughed, almost meaning it and asked, "You want me to kidnap her?"

Bridget meant pull the obsessed woman away for dinner and a delicious dessert of naked body parts, but she liked Myka's style. "Okay, that works." Bridget was already planning on how she could help. "Although she knows that martial arts stuff…."

"Bridget! I'm not going to kidnap my wife just so she'll have dinner with me," Myka said, expressing how outlandish it was. The message was delivered on a platter of raw hurt.

"We could get Jane," Bridget continued because she was on a mission.

"We need handcuffs?" Myka asked, but wasn't laughing.

"Hell, no! I could give you …..never mind. We need Jane cause she's strong, you know, we need _muscle_ ," Bridget thought out loud. "And don't take this the wrong way, but I think deep down the Detective would love to pin…..okay, never mind."

"You're crazy," Myka said, shaking her head.

"This will work, Myka!" the investment banker declared.

"Bridget, I appreciate it, really I do, but this isn't something that comes with an easy solution. Helena won't listen to me. She's working all day into the night," Myka shared and then gave Bridget the proof she needed that something must be done. "We're not….. _sleeping_ …..together." Myka chest hurt terrible as those words burned her throat.

Bridget just stared, aware of how awful Myka felt. She knew this wasn't the time for planning as much as it was time for listening. "Myka, I'm so sorry…," her friend said. Myka felt her lips moving, as she told Bridget that it had been over two weeks. Helena was distant, disinterested and she prayed it was temporary, but there was no sign of it getting better. Then when Myka worried she had said too much, she assured her friend that it would get better and soon. "I know Helena. She'll come around," Myka said, hoping she sounded convincing.

She didn't.

Bridget knew that was her cue to leave and she hugged Myka and told her she would call her later. Then she said if Myka wasn't doing anything, they'd go to dinner, and Myka smiled okay. Bridget left Myka's office and Millie, who usually had a harsh look for the spontaneous woman, sighed her concern. Bridget knew where to go. She marched right into Irene's office, waving Sandy off because this was an emergency.

"I don't know why I don't just put in a revolving door," Irene said as the tall, well dressed woman barged in.

"Irene, I'm sorry to intrude like this, but I just came from Myka's office," Bridget explained and didn't wait to be asked to sit down. There was no time for formalities.

"Oh," Irene said.

"She looks terrible. I know you're the _Helena Whisperer_ , so I thought you could tell me what's going on here," Bridget all but pleaded.

Even if Irene knew, she would never betray Helena's trust. Bridget knew that walking in, but she needed help.

"I assure you, Bridget I'm trying to get at what is going on myself," Irene shared.

"Well, can we agree that it's probably something going on inside that genius' head and that Myka probably doesn't have anything to do with this? I mean, you know her – is this what she looks like when she's flipping out?"

Irene stared hard at the woman for a few seconds while she decided that Bridget was being sincere. Irene didn't take kindly to someone assuming this was all Helena's doing, even though it certainly seemed like a strong possibility.

"I'm not sure Helena, nor Myka, would appreciate our interfering…," Irene suggested.

"If we were talking about a couple of _mere_ mortals, yeah, I get that," Bridget conceded. "But we're talking about _Myka_ and _Helena_ here. You would think the woman who wrote the playbook on romance that's still in the number one spot of the _New York Times_ bestsellers list, which most experts attribute a rise in marriage proposals to, wouldn't screw up so easily."

The woman had a point.

"Look, Irene, I wouldn't think this was so grave except we're talking about the couple who define true love, okay? And you must have seen that look in Myka's eyes. She's sick with worry," Bridget said bluntly. "We have to do something!"

"Helena…," Irene started and then, much like Myka didn't know what else to say. "Seems to be working on something important."

"Yeah, well, have you ever known her to put anything _before_ Myka?" Bridget asked and Irene had to admit she had a point.

"I tried to talk to her this morning…," Irene said more to herself, but the words were out. The woman felt she needed to state that she had tried because she, too, wanted to help them.

"Did she seem normal? I mean normal for her?" Bridget clarified.

Irene looked at her uninvited guest. "No," she admitted and her answer was no surprise to Bridget.

Bridget was feeling something she detested; helpless, and that didn't sit well with the A-type personality. "Listen Irene, we need to help them and we've only got a few choices. We could get the mini-CEO upstairs, seeing how she's the epitome of amorousness, and toss her down the basement, but I'm afraid Helena will chew her up and spit out the bones," Bridget said, all in one breath.

"Let's leave Ms. Sullivan out of this for now," Irene said, not wanting too many people involved.

"It's only a matter of time before the press starts paying attention to this and when they do, it will only make it harder for Myka," Bridget pointed out.

Everything she said made sense, but it didn't help Irene with figuring out a solution.

"I wish I knew..," Irene said, not wanting to say she'd never seen Helena like this. And she'd seen Helena in some pretty awful places.

"Irene, go do what you do," Bridget said forcefully. "Drastic times call for drastic measures …..and wine, but mostly drastic measures. Go there and talk sense into that woman who only listens to you when she's not listening to Myka. Or…we're going to …..kidnap her," Bridget said, the plan not sounding as good as it did in Myka's office.

Irene pulled back and stared to see if the woman was serious.

"I hope we can come up with something …a little less extreme," Irene pointed out.

"Well, I hope you do, because I'm taking Myka out to dinner tonight. I think you need to go back and visit Doctor Frankenstein in her lab. Don't be so subtle this time. If you can't get her to be human again, we're going to kidnap her and send her on vacation with Myka," Bridget said.

Irene wanted to protest and say that they should never interfere with Helena's work, but the banker was right – they had to do something.

Hopefully, something that didn't endanger their lives.

"I'll go back this evening," Irene said.

"Good! I'll call Jane to get you a taser," Bridget said, getting up to leave.

She noticed Irene didn't say not to.

* * *

Myka stared out the window of her office, her thumbs making small circles on her IPhone that she held in her hands as she contemplated her next move. How many texts had she sent that went unanswered? She pushed that question aside and typed – " _I love you_ " – into her phone, pressed send …. and waited.

The message instantaneously flew across the network to its intended receiver several blocks north of Wells Corp, but it never materialized. The device that should have displayed the loving message lay in pieces on a table in the basement, its vibrator ripped from the inside. The tiny device possessed the right caliber for what Helena needed to try next.

But like all of her previous attempts so far, this one failed, too.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading along, and especially to those who posted. I always welcome your thoughts, questions and suggestions.  
**

 **Apparently, _something_ happened during the break. **


	3. The Domino Effect

**The Domino Effect**

Detective Jane Tierney was certain that she had heard every weird request in the books as a fifteen year veteran of the New York Police Department, but this took the cake.

"Bell!" she yelled to her appointed assistant, a woman so new out of the police academy her uniform was still pressed every day.

"Yes, sir?" the young officer asked, coming up behind Jane and making her jump. She was never far away it seemed.

"You know that thin blue line we cops are always referring to?" Jane asked as part of her daily quizzing of the young woman.

"Yes, sir. The _Thin Blue Line_ is a symbol used by _law enforcement_ , originating in the United Kingdom but now prevalent in the United States and Canada to commemorate fallen _law enforcement_ officers and to symbolize the relationship of _law enforcement_ in the community as the protectors of civilians from criminal elements, sir!" the young officer repeated verbatim.

Jane stared at the young woman, chastising herself for forgetting the golden rule; _Never ask Bell a question before you've had three cups of coffee._ "Bell, it was….a yes or no question..," Jane tried to explain.

"Then, yes, sir. Sorry, sir," the woman answered.

"You know we're not the marines…," Jane tried, but was answered with another affirmative answer with two exclamation points at the end. "I think I forgot my point. Oh, yes. Bell, whenever we have to deal with the Mayor's friend, Helena Wells, or some of her friends? There's a comparable _thin sanity line_ ," Jane said, finally making her point …..which was lost on the serious young assistant.

"Sir?" she asked sincerely.

"It means that sometimes we are the only thing that stands between Helena and her friends and their being sent to Bellevue," Jane said, referring to the psychiatric hospital.

"But you don't think they would do anything to endanger themselves, sir," Officer Bell pointed out.

"Endanger? Nah, there hasn't been any _endangering_ since Wells settled down. Myka's been good for her. No, not endanger. More like annoy the hell out of the NYPD. What is our first charge, Bell?" Jane asked.

"To protect …," Bell started her soliloquy and Jane cut her off.

"When it comes to Wells and Company, sometimes it's to protect them from themselves," Jane said. "Just think, Bell, someday this will all be on your plate."

"Sir?" the eager policewoman asked.

"You'll be in charge of Bering-Wells and by then, probably little Bering-Wells, too," Jane said.

"Yes, sir," Officer Bell said, not understanding her superior's meaning.

Jane's rant was brought on by the text from Bridget that simply stated: – " _We are planning a kidnapping and need your help. No need for handcuffs, unless they're those soft fuzzy kind. Might need a taser. Mine went off at Fashion Week and hit Ralph Lauren and since then Sarah won't let me carry one. Will need muscle. Wait for instructions_."

Jane wasn't at all surprised that the people about to commit the crime came right to her. It was part of what made them insane. Asking an officer of the law to help them wasn't at all uncommon for this band of unusual friends. What surprised Jane was that she felt desperate enough to take them up on their offer.

"I read her book," the young cop said, changing subjects, but still standing at attention. Jane doubted the woman knew any other posture.

"Yeah?" Jane asked. "Did you propose marriage after reading it?" The detective was revealing something about herself and that was rare.

"Well, no I ….," the assistant stuttered.

"Well, don't! I did and I'm still waiting on an answer," Jane spat out. She wouldn't have minded if Pete Lattimer had told her he needed time to think about it or had reservations. Either of those she could have handled. Instead, he told her _now_ wasn't a good time because something was going on with Helena and he couldn't really think about _anything_ else. He was like those lost animals you see in videos when their owners are in the hospital. He all but bayed at the moon outside Helena's townhouse window.

Jane wondered if Helena even knew what affect her behavior of late was having on her devoted friend.

* * *

Each morning, Pete hoped he'd see Helena come down the front steps of the townhouse with Myka. Instead, each day, he saw his other favorite friend in the world, walk to the car distressed. It broke his heart when he glanced in the rearview mirror and saw how upset Myka was. He felt totally helpless to help his friends. Myka wasn't even aware of it, but Pete often sneaked over on his lunch hour to visit the Townhouse in hopes that Helena would be upstairs. He went by one day even though Leena explained that Helena's hours were so erratic, she never knew when the genius would appear. That day, Pete left after not seeing Helena, but forgot his phone and came back in to get it. There she was, standing by the staircase. Pete was so taken aback by how she looked, that he was speechless.

"Boss?" he finally asked as she started to walk away.

"I'm fine, Pete," Helena said, but in a tone he hardly recognized. It wasn't angry, or upset. It sounded – defeated.

"We're not," he all but whispered, but Helena never heard him. He, too, went straight to Irene's office when he got back and begged her to do something. That was when she made up her mind to visit Helena. Now, she too was feeling helpless as her time with Helena seemed to do no good.

While pandemonium was creeping in a little more each day, the one bearing the brunt was Eileen Sullivan. Helena's sudden disappearance thrust her into the hot seat of handling most of Helena's duties. " _Baptism by fire_ ," Helena said to her one day and she knew then, she was either going to sink or swim, but it wasn't going to be with Helena's help.

Claudia was taking it the worst. She had all but gotten Helena to promise that there would be a plan in place to gradually ease Eileen into her new position. Helena had taken what seemed like the necessary steps. She hired Morgan Styles as their Chief Engineering Officer after deciding that Eileen needed someone with experience in the biomedical field. Morgan accepted the job, realizing he wanted to experience first-hand what it was like to work at such a visionary company. In spite of having been in dozens of meetings with Helena, he saw a different side of the entrepreneur from his new seat. He was certain he had made the right choice.

Then everyone went into crisis mode.

Claudia thought at first, Helena was doing this as a worst case scenario – to test the woman she had been grooming. But then the absence became consistent and Claudia had a front row seat to see how Eileen was doing. By all accounts, things were running smoothly. Meetings were reduced because Eileen knew most of them were a waste. Helena knew that too, but she enjoyed the showcasing of unadulterated power that she got to display. Eileen didn't even know how to do that. What was happening at Wells Corp was a slow migration toward cooperative management where the next possible CEO made the departments responsible for meeting their project deadlines on time.

Now, no one was working out of the fear of Helena's wrath – and everyone – was – miserable. Even though Helena had softened over the years, she was in control at Wells Corp and that's how everyone liked it.

To Claudia, it only proved that people wanted Helena there and would resent anyone who was in her place. Regardless of the amount of planning, nothing they would come up with would soften the ache people felt when their boss wasn't there. Claudia didn't want to talk to Helena, but that didn't mean she didn't try to get her point across. The techie retaliated the only way she knew how.

She hacked Helena's computer.

"STOP!" was the first message that appeared on Helena's computer screen and she knew immediately who had done it. But Helena had learned a thing or two from her most trusted IT Director and she reprogrammed the code so that any further attempts to hack caused the Wells Corp computers to shut down.

"Damn, she's good," Claudia said, even though she was seething at the response.

She was next in Irene's office asking what they could do. Irene suggested they help Ms. Sullivan all that they could. Irene didn't share her thought, but had she; she would have told the young executive that if Myka couldn't help Helena, she seriously doubted anyone could.

* * *

At first, everyone went along with their boss' absence. She was involved in many different projects now, including bringing the captains of industries to local high schools to talk about what it was like to work in their respective fields. The press paid special attention to the seminar that Helena gave on how to deal with your competition. She asked Ted Grayson to come along and the man agreed. It seemed he had finally given up any personal vendetta against Helena and the two talked about the benefits of a healthy competitive environment. The press decided that Wells was acting more like the level headed Bering and social media exploded with the news that Helena G. Wells finally learned to fight fair and play nice.

It seemed odd that at the pinnacle of her social outreach, Helena seemed to withdraw. Bridget was right that they press thought she was involved in top secret business projects, but then they started to notice she was not attending any social functions either. She was a no show at the high school symposiums and hundreds of high school students were disappointed. No matter who showed up, the crowds seemed to want Helena.

Many of the inquires and then complaints, fell to Sui Generis – the android Claudia and Helena had invented and who _manned_ – or _womanned_ – depending on his mood – the front desk for Helena. Right now, Sui had reverted back to his original Caucasian male form, perhaps because that was how Helena had initially designed him. Sui had changed his gender, race and nationality in an effort for him to understand what being human was really like. He had learned the most from his interactions with the people he considered to be his friends at Wells Corp. It didn't matter what form he decided on; he always knew he wanted to be a part of that group.

Sui rose to the occasion and handled all of Helena's calls, both those who called out of concern and those who called out of anger. He made it his mission to help Eileen Sullivan in Helena's absence and did so with his usual aplomb. He calculated what needed to be done at any given moment. He even came close to figuring out what the reason was for Helena's absence, although he was discrete in not sharing it with anyone.

The only thing the android had difficulty in figuring out was the painful sensation he felt in his chest cavity. That was, until he spoke with Irene and she explained that what he might be experiencing was – missing. ' _When you care about someone, and then they are absent from your life, even for a short time, you miss them,_ ' she explained.

No one seemed surprised that even the mechanical humanoid experienced Helena's absence.

But no one was hurting quite like Myka.

When no response came back from her text, Myka gave in and allowed the burgeoning tears to fall. _How could Helena cut her off like this? How could she withdraw so far down her genius rabbit hole that she lost touch? How could this happen_ , she asked over and over again. Myka fought off the answer she dreaded the most, but it kept rearing its ugly head; _Helena didn't love her anymore_. The lawyer pushed back hard – putting her theory on trial – the way she handled everything. Helena was consumed by her work. That didn't mean she didn't love Myka.

It did mean, however, Myka was no longer first.

Myka looked at the stack of papers that she now had to correct since giving the law students that pop quiz. She hadn't thought about that. She picked one up, read it, but couldn't concentrate. All she could think of was that Helena was several blocks north of her - - in the basement - - unaffected by Myka's pain.

She picked up the phone and dialed her friend, Professor Calvert. He greeted her warmly and was about to share all the positive things he'd been hearing about her class. Instead, he heard Myka speak in a tone he didn't think she possessed: "Do I get a Teacher's Assistant with this job you threw at me?" she asked briskly.

"You said you didn't want one," the man reminded her.

"Well, I need one. I don't know what you want from me, but I can only do so many things in a day. Pick one and send them down to help me immediately, " Myka requested aggressively.

"Sure thing, Myka," Mike Calvert said and frowned when he heard the phone being hung up. "What the devil has gotten into her?"

Myka regretted it, just like she regretted not teaching that day. She was desperately trying to discharge the anger inside of her and it was coming out all wrong. In fact, it was coming out on the wrong people. They weren't the cause of her pain and it wasn't fair that they should suffer her fury.

Myka knew exactly who deserved it.

She grabbed her pocketbook, hastily making plans to go home and scream at Helena, when her copy of Helena's book – ' _The Time Traveler's Guide to Romance'_ fell out of her bag and opened to the dedication page.

 _To Myka, My One, – you not only inspired these words, you created the world in which all of these lessons were made possible. As we travel through time together, I am your most devoted passenger. Thank you for the ride of my life. Love, Helena_

Pain surged inside Myka now and she couldn't hold back the tears. She remembered telling Helena how beautiful those words were. And how Helena told her she was her inspiration to do wondrous things. Myka knew then what Helena meant and they went home that night making plans together on how to realize their dream of being a family. Helena made it all sound so possible; so simple, that Myka went along with the plans.

And then things didn't work out as they had hoped. No, as she had hoped. The problem was that things had not worked out as Helena demanded.

And all hell was breaking loose.

* * *

 _ **Thank you for all your posts, I do appreciate them. Thanks to "Guest" for alerting me to the coupling issue.**_

 _ **Now, what will Myka do?**_


	4. To Heir is Human, to Forgive Divine

**Many thanks to everyone who is reading along and especially to those who are posting. I enjoy all of your feedback and know it takes time. Given the length of my stories, you can tell I'm easily encouraged.**

 **Thank you to AsgardianBlade (Once Upon a Time) - one of the most disciplined writers I have the pleasure of knowing - for her guidance with this chapter in particular.**

 **Love hearing from you all.**

* * *

 **To Heir is Human, To Forgive Divine  
**

Myka was - in a word, a – mess. The one thing she always counted on to help her was her _Oneness_ with Helena. It connected them on a level most people would never experience with anyone in their lives. Myka took that gift very seriously and never toyed with it. When Helena was hurting, she could feel it. When Helena was happy, she felt joy inside her heart. When Helena cut her off, _and that was rare since explaining how awful it was_ , Myka sensed it immediately.

What Myka felt was none of those things. What Myka sensed was – nothing. She was connected, but it was like a tunnel with nothing coming through, but wind.

She wiped the tears and dabbed the black mascara from under her eyes with a tissue. She was so confused by this that she wasn't sure what her options were. _Rant_? Helena wasn't even listening to her when she was calm. _Plead_? She'd been doing that and it was falling on deaf ears. Just when the pain expressed itself in tears, anger rose in her chest. _Where did the answer lie?_

Then she remembered Helena's book. Surely, the genius thought of everything, hadn't she? Myka had read the book from front to back and remembered – something Helena wrote. Her eidetic memory told her exactly where to find the passage.

" _No matter how close you are, there will be differences between you. Do not be afraid of your differences; embrace them. They can be part of what attracted you in the first place. But also be aware that at certain times, those variations might add to the stress of a situation. Be flexible and be honest._ "

Myka slammed Helena's book shut and bobbed her head. She was going to go home and give Helena a piece of her honesty.

Upstairs at Wells Corp, another woman had just reached her limit with Helena. "That's it!" Eileen Sullivan shouted and Sui Generis stared at her. He quickly calculated that this was a new level of frustration being expressed by the young executive. "Do I have any meetings after 5?" she asked her assistant android. "Of course I do!" she answered. "Well, cancel them because I am going to pay my boss a visit. Leave everything for me to handle. How many arms do I have?" she ranted and Sui answered correctly; two.

"I'm going right to the source!" Eileen said, telling Sui to rearrange her meetings.

On her way to the elevator, Morgan Styles, the ink barely dry on his business cards, tried to catch Eileen before she left. When she pointedly asked him if she looked like she had time for a meeting right now, he let the elevator doors close. "She sounded remarkable like …," Morgan said, taken aback. "Yes, very much," Sui agreed having done an analysis of the woman's tone.

Eileen grabbed Claudia on the way out and told her about her plan. "You're going to give Helena a piece of your mind?" the techie asked slowly.

"Absolutely!" Eileen said, her confidence waning just a bit when she heard her girlfriend ask. The silence made her ask – "You think it's a mistake?"

Claudia thought about it and knew that everyone was feeling the effects of Helena's absence and no one more that the woman whose lap everything dropped into. Except Myka of course.

"We'll do it together," Claudia said, pulling the woman she loved into her.

"Let's go, Sarah," Bridget said, grabbing her pocketbook. "It's either going to be dinner with Myka ….or a bloodbath. Either way, the makings of a fun evening," she laughed.

The friends were approaching the Townhouse from different points of the city. Jane and Bell from the East Side, Eileen and Claudia from the South, Pete came through the park after asking Andrew to cover for him, and Bridget and Sarah from the North. The only thing missing were the torches as they stormed their way up the stairs.

"Myka won't like us actually kidnapping her," Pete pointed out.

"Kidnapping? Who said anything about kidnapping?" Claudia asked concerned.

"You didn't get Bridget's memo?" Jane asked, coming up the steps behind them. "Everyone, you know Officer Bell," Jane said to the group.

"More police?" Sarah whispered to Bridget.

"Think of it as crowd control," Jane said. "Now, I need to clarify something. You're not actually going to kidnap her, are you?"

"We can't kidnap her!" Eileen said, afraid they'd take Helena out before she got to talk some sense into her.

"Yeah, people?" Bridget said, trying to get their attention. "Myka was the one who suggested this. It doesn't have to come to an _actual_ kidnapping. Our other option is a taser, right Jane?"

"We're going to taser her?" Claudia all but cried. "No way am I doing that."

"You people take everything so seriously. Okay, listen up," Bridget said getting on the top step. "We just want to get Helena to listen. She's gone all mad scientist which apparently is her thing, but we just want to point out that she's wreaking havoc – especially with Myka. Anyone not okay with that?"

One hand went up in the back. "Put your hand down, Bell. Think of this as field work. Like you've never seen before," Jane explained to the young cop.

"Now here's what I think we should do…," Bridget was telling the group when the front door opened and Irene stood there, looking at them.

"Really?" Irene asked. "What do you propose to do? Storm the basement, carry her up here, and talk until you're blue in the faces?"

"Well, we….," most of them said.

Just then, Irene saw Myka's car coming down the block. "Oh, for Pete's sake, get in here," Irene said, not wanting Myka to see this crowd. Irene pushed them into the dining room. "Myka is on her way in. Now, I'll go out and tell her that the lot of you thought you were helping, but have thought better of it and we're all leaving."

"I just came here to give Helena a piece of my mind," Eileen confessed.

"I love it when you're assertive," Claudia gushed and then remembered they were surrounded by a crowd of people and turned beet red.

Someone said _shush_ when they heard Myka coming up the front steps.

Deep inside the bowels of the mansion was everyone's person of interest. Helena's mind was on her latest attempt to merge the necessary genetic material inside the capsule as it was complete. She looked into the microscope as she gently encased it in a fluid substance. Then, she painstakingly placed the minute cylindrical biosphere and placed it in the bio mesh glove. Only then, did Helena place the glove in a tiny container set at the perfect temperature. After days and days of trying, she finally managed to accomplish what she set out to do. Now all she needed was Myka.

Helena's head swung around quickly as if she expected Myka to be there. Without any sense of date or time, she actually was a little surprised not to see her there. After all, where else would she be? No matter, Helena thought. She would find her straight away and tell her the good news.

Just as Irene closed the door on the uninvited group, Myka came through the front door.

"Don't you dare!" she said directly to Irene and the woman retreated just a little. She most definitely heard a yelp and knew Pete was the first to curl up in a ball on the other side of the door.

"Myka, I was…," Irene started, but didn't want to give the concerned friends away.

"I know what you are trying to do," Myka said, as she threw her coat off and cast it aside much like her wife did on a daily basis.

"You do?" Irene asked, stalling for time.

"You came here to talk sense into that thick headed woman. You thought, if you softened her up, she'd see what a mess she made and I'd go easier on her. Well," Myka ranted as she stuck her hand in the belt of her pants and started to walk in circles. "….I've been too easy long enough. Oh, you want to lock yourself in the basement, Helena and ignore me? Oh, sure Pumpkin, after all you are a freaking genius. Who am I to question?" Myka seethed.

"She calls her…. _Pumpkin_?" Jane asked and only then noticed she didn't think Bell was breathing.

"Myka, could we…," Irene tried to direct Myka into the living room across the hall…and away from what she was sure was an eavesdropping group of people.

"Oh no, don't try to convince me to go easy. I read her book! Well, I reread her book," the lawyer clarified.

"Her book!" Pete said, snapping his fingers. "What does it say in there about ….. _this_?"

"Oh, let's see if there's a chapter on making your spouse insane," Bridget whispered.

"Actually Myka, I think …," Irene tried, but was cut off again.

"Three weeks, Irene! I think I've been patient enough! And our _Oneness_? That keeps us connected? Empty! Nothing. I'm connected and I can't feel anything. I am going to wring her British neck!" Myka said, the anger really surging inside now. Her breathing was fast and her face was flushed and she couldn't remember ever being this angry. Or hurt.

Helena pushed her hair back and felt the oddest sensation when her fingers got caught in her mangled hair. She didn't stop to question it as she was off to fetch Myka and give her the good news.

Fetching Myka right now was like trying to touch lightning bolts.

Irene did her best to keep her away from the dining room door, but Myka was moving all over the place. "This time she's really done it!" Myka said as Helena appeared down the hallway.

Leena had just come into the dining room with a tray of – what she called – _Intervention hors d'oeuvres._

"For strength?" Sarah laughed.

"Your last meal," Leena said seriously. As much as she admired the friends' courageousness, she knew tangling with Helena – especially now – was a death wish.

And then they heard it – Helena's voice greeting Myka – and it was so tender and loving, that Bridget let out a long ' _Oo-oohhhh'_.

"There you are, Darling," Helena said as if her brain had just returned to its body.

"Here I am, Darl-ing?" Myka said and Irene stepped out of the way.

"I missed you," Helena said and it was quite evident to Irene that the damn genius was – clueless.

"Myka, I don't think she…," Irene started to share, but Myka wasn't having any of it.

"No, she doesn't get off," Myka growled.

It occurred to Irene that the irony of the situation was that Myka, though justified, was acting more like Helena and Helena, was sounding sweet like Myka.

This wasn't going to end well.

"Helena?" Irene tried, but Helena had some urgent business at hand. "I think Myka needs an explanation," Irene said to her friend, as she covered her mouth and prayed Helena got the message.

"Oh, I will," Helena said and Irene thanked God for answering her prayers. "First, I need to know if you took your temperature this morning."

"Excuse me?" Myka said, having trouble understanding how Helena could be so nonchalant.

"Is she being incredibly nonchalant out there?" Sarah asked.

"You know I have to jump in between them if she goes for Helena, right?" Pete asked Jane who practically swooned at his heroic nature.

Helena had walked the length of the hallway now and was so happy to see Myka, but there was urgency to what they had to do. "We need to check your luteinizing hormone level," the scientist explained and smiled at Irene.

"You want me to …," Myka said slowly.

"Pee on a stick?" Helena explained, wondering why Myka wasn't getting the importance of acting quickly.

"Oh, dear God," Irene let out and tried to open the dining room door, but too many people were leaning on it.

"That's not very romantic," Eileen cringed at the scientific instructions.

"Are you out of your mind?" Myka yelled and startled Helena.

The Brit turned and looked at Irene to interpret what was going on. Then Helena did what she had been doing for the last three weeks – she applied the scientific method to the situation. She asked herself what was going on with Myka. Her experience told her that Myka only acted erratic when she was very upset. Helena constructed her first hypothesis; someone did something to upset Myka. Now, she tested it by asking Irene what _she_ had done. The data – in the form of both women's reaction of shouting their combined disbelief – was carefully analyzed and Helena concluded that her hypothesis was wrong. Now all she had to do was communicate her findings.

"I …don't understand," she stated and her head swung back and forth between the two women who always explained things to her.

"Aaarrggg!" Myka shouted and Irene wished she could interpret for Helena because she truly believed Helena didn't know. "Do you feel it, Helena? Our _Oneness_? Tell me what you feel?" she demanded.

"Oh! Okay…..I …. I …feel…..," Helena stalled as she checked into her feelings. It wasn't a one step process for the woman and it took a second. "I feel your warmth," Helena said, smiling and checking into the warm sensation that seemed to ….steadily and quickly increase in temperature. Her hand shot to her chest. It was ….hot.

"Feel that, Helena?" Myka asked, knowing that her wife did. "That's the feeling of being alone for three weeks. That's the feeling of being locked out for three weeks. That's what you get when YOU decided to solve puzzles all by yourself!" Myka shouted.

"She was doing puzzles this whole time? That must have been one big mother puzzle," Pete said.

"I think we should go," Bridget said, but Sarah pointed out that their escape was right through the boxing ring.

"Well, then the least we should do is not listen," Eileen suggested, but when she walked away, no one followed.

"Three? Myka, darling, after last month, when you didn't ..," Helena said, suddenly careful about choosing her words. "I went back to the drawing board to build us a better…..way."

"I really…should….go," Irene all but whispered as she decided to try and make her way to the front door.

"Helena, you locked yourself downstairs in your lab. You didn't go to work, you ignored calls, meetings. You just left everything. Tell her, Irene," Myka said, and the HR Director stopped in her tracks.

"I think …you two need to talk…alone," Irene said, wishing she could help Helena, but afraid if she did, it would only make things worse.

"I had to leave everything else, Myka. I had to do this for you," Helena pleaded.

"You didn't have to leave me in the process, Helena. You didn't have to decide on your own the way this would be done. You left me out, Helena. You never explained it, you never discussed it. You decided. Is that how it's going to be, Helena? You'll let me handle the grocery list, but you'll handle the really important things, like getting pregnant!" Myka yelled, her real feelings coming up faster than she could censor them.

"Oh, I don't think….," Bridget said feeling the weight of her decision ….her well intentioned, wrong decision. The group practically moved in unison as they backed away from the door.

"No, Myka. I was just so sure that it would work that when it didn't, I ….," Helena said, looking at the basement door to explain she felt it necessary to retreat to her lab.

"Our vows said through the good times and the bad, through the happy times and the tough ones, Helena. You can't leave me when it suits you," Myka said, more slowly, calmer.

"I…," Helena started, just now getting the impact of her actions. How could she have been so out of touch with what was going on? How did she retreat so far that she lost sight of the one thing that mattered most to her? She wasn't sure of the answers yet, but she was sure of one thing. "Myka, I am so sorry. You're right, you're absolutely right. And in spite of my good intentions, I hurt you. I am truly sorry," Helena said, bravely taking a few steps closer. "I lost track ….of everything."

Irene backed up and tried the door, this time it opened and she slipped inside, holding her breath.

How Myka longed for Helena these past weeks. She was so upset, so angry and yet she wanted to hold her, to be held. "We promised to do everything together," she said, and the hurt pushed the tears down her cheeks.

Her words hit Helena like arrows to the heart. "How could I have been so blind?" she asked and rushed to touch Myka. "I am so sorry, Myka."

Hearing Helena speak so sweetly was almost too much for Myka in spite of the fact it was what she longed for. "You said we would do everything together," Myka said, the tears flowing down her cheeks now. "You didn't even explain to me…what you needed to do."

"Oh, Myka! I caused you such pain. I was so caught up in finding the solution – for us – that I ...," and the genius stopped.

"How is she doing?" Pete asked, still wondering if he would have to go out and protect his boss.

"Helena is going to do just fine," said the woman who had an abundance of faith in her. "Better than all of you are doing to do if she finds you here."

"Myka," Helena said, taking her hands, - "This is not an excuse, I promise you, but I never really had anyone by my side when I was conducting my early experiments. No one believed in the fact that a woman could produce such wonderful things."

"What, was she born in the 1920's?" Bridget said, unable not to hear the conversation that was taking place right outside the door.

"Earlier than…," Pete started to say and Claudia slammed hard down on his foot, while Eileen put a pillow up to his mouth to muffle the scream.

"I think I got so focused….," Helena continued her explanation.

" _Obsessed_ ," Myka corrected her and was right.

"Obsessed," Helena repeated, "That I lost sight of everything else."

"We're not supposed to ever lost sight of one another, Helena. Ever," Myka said, speaking her mind and heart.

Each time Myka made a point, Helena flinched just a little under its piercing truthfulness. Helena almost couldn't account for how it happened since she never intended to be so withdrawn. It worried her that it seemed to happen outside her own awareness. Her drive and determination to give Myka what she thought she wanted had upset Myka terrible. Helena had no idea there was a roomful of people whom she had upset.

"Everything you said is right, Myka. I am sorry. Can you ever forgive me?" the disheveled woman asked.

Myka stared deep into Helena's dark eyes, the swollen blood vessels nearly obliterating any white. God, how she missed being near this woman. Her heart and soul, not to mention her whole body, longed to be with her.

"Don't ever leave me, Helena. What we have – in our _Oneness_ – is a gift and we must never take that for granted."

"You're right, Darling," Helena said, the words drenched in her accent that made Myka weak. "In my zealous fervor to provide us with something, I forgot what was truly important. Not just our futures, but our moments here and now. I am sorry that I filled any of yours with pain," Helena said, slowly sinking down on one knee in front of Myka.

"Oh my God, is she down on her knees?" Bridget all but keeled over.

"She has to forgive her!" Eileen said, clutching the anxious feeling in her chest.

If Helena's charm and sincerity were slow to work on Myka, they were already getting the group's consensus that she deserved to be exonerated. It seemed no one was breathing as they waited for the answer.

"I forgive you, Helena," Myka said, pulling Helena straight up to kiss her. "God, Helena, I have missed you so much. Every part of me has ached for you."

"I'll never ….," Helena started to say, but Myka grabbed her behind her head and pulled her in to kiss her hard.

The only noise in the house was the distinct – loud – sound of - _THUD_ – coming from the dining room.

"Bell?" Jane said as she bent down to help the young officer.

Myka's warm smile returned when she released Helena. "I've never seen you… like this."

"I need to shower," Helena said, painfully aware now of her present state.

"Give me a minute and I'll join you," Myka whispered in Helena's ear now that she was aware of the presence of others in the dining room. "First, let me assure our friends that everything is okay."

"In there?" Helena asked, surprised that they were in there. "I should apologize…," she started to say, but Myka wasn't going to delay their makeup time for a minute.

"You can apologize tomorrow. I don't want to wait a minute more than we have to, Helena." Myka explained.

"Thank you, Myka. I will make it up to you," Helena promised and then ran up the stairs.

Myka opened the door to the dining room where her friends all tried to act surprised by her intrusion. "Oh, hi Myka," Bridget said, taking the lead. "So, raincheck for dinner?" she asked already knowing the answer.

Myka smiled and shook her head. "I think so," she said.

Pete was the first to clear his throat several times. "Okay, so we'll just….we're going to …..," he said as he passed Myka and then stopped. "Thanks, Myka."

"For what, Pete?" Myka asked, taken with how sincere he was.

"For bringing her back to us," the man who adored his boss said.

"It's a good thing you're not the jealous type," Bridget said to Jane, who accepted a long time ago that she would always have to share Pete.

"Will she …be there tomorrow? Can we talk to her then?" Eileen asked Myka.

"Yes, I believe she'll be there," Myka said and Eileen let out a big sigh of relief.

"Good!" Claudia said, not ready to give up the fact that she was protecting her girlfriend. "Because – we – have – to – talk," she said slowly and then added, "You know, unless Helena's busy. She'll probably be busy, so it can wait."

Everyone made their way out to the front door, as Irene lingered a few steps behind. "I'm sorry we were all witness to that, Myka," the woman who was usually good at crowd control said.

"It's okay. We appreciate that everyone was so concerned," Myka said, helping Irene on with her coat.

"Thank you," Irene said, her voice cracking as she leaned in and hugged Myka. "Take good care of her," she said even though it was Myka who was the injured party.

Irene would always be concerned for Myka, but she would never stop worrying about Helena.

* * *

 **For those of you who are new to this story, many of the clothes Helena and Myka wear as well as pictures of what the Townhouse might look like, as well as readers' suggestions of what the OC's might look like - can be found on Pinterest at ManhattaniteNYC. Please stop by and enjoy.  
**


	5. Showering Her With Love

**Thanks for hanging in there while the angst played out.  
Love your feedback and suggestions. Send them when you can. I do appreciate them.  
**

* * *

 **Showering Her With Love**

Much had happened in the weeks that followed the release of the Time Traveler's book on romance.

The group of friend's attended the wedding of Vanessa and Artie. The wedding was sweet and intimate and everyone enjoyed themselves. Helena and Myka paid for their honeymoon as their wedding present. Vanessa would remark later that she had never seen Artie so relaxed.

Morgan Styles decided to do something he rarely did – he forged ahead with a decision without having every single detail in place. Perhaps he had been looking for a change in his life anyway, but when the opportunity to work at Wells Corp presented itself, he decided not to wait. His sister, Sarah, would remark that she had never seen him so spontaneous.

Detective Tierney read Helena's book, with trepidation, after Pete insisted she do so. Explaining that she wasn't really the ' _mushy'_ type, she gave in and read it in one sitting. The beautiful words of the Author slipped right past Jane's tough exterior, and hit the soft spot of her heart underneath. The Author's words made her realize what a great guy Pete was and how she really wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. She proposed soon after. Pete would share later that he had never seen Jane so soft; so emotional.

The one most affected by the book was Claudia. She and Eileen had already been talking about their futures together. Yet, Claudia seemed hesitant when she thought about the commitment it would take. She wasn't just marrying her best friend; she was inheriting an entire family. Exactly what she had longed for, and yet somehow, she felt overwhelmed. Underneath it all, Claudia's fear of abandonment was really what was preventing her from going further. Helena's book changed that – and she desperately needed some guidance. Eileen would say she had never seen her lover more anxious.

Helena and Myka were blissfully unaware of the effects of the book – they were too busy focusing on themselves. Having decided that they were ready for the next stage of their lives together, they set about carving out time to spend away from everyone and everything. Helena had created what she was certain would be the best, the safest, the most ingenious way for Myka to become pregnant. The microscopic vessel containing her genetic strands were encased and implanted into the top of the bio-mesh glove Helena had previously invented. The material was so thin, that once on her hand, it looked and felt like her own skin. It was the most resourceful way to allow the spermatozoa-like containers to travel on the path to meet their ovum counterpart. Helena had thought of everything – except of course how difficult it could be to get the pathways to cross at exactly the right moment. Unlike In Vitro Fertilization, Helena's method would allow for the impregnation to duplicate a natural one as close as possible. Of course, the difference was that after an unsuccessful attempt, Helena would have to recreate her genetic portion for another attempt.

The more they tried, the tenser Myka became, feeling more like a test subject than the future mother. The tenser Myka became, the more it didn't work, and the more impatient Helena became until things spiraled – sending Helena into the depths of her lab. She was certain that she had done everything scientifically correct, so that left Myka as the issue. It wasn't until she realized that she needed to adjust the temperature mechanism in the glove to compensate for the body heat of her hand, did Helena realize it was human error, not human limitation.

Her absence had a cascading effect in the meantime. Not only was Myka upset and miserable, the business program at the high school faltered, Pete wouldn't accept Jane's proposal, Claudia needed Helena's guidance before she could propose, Morgan thought perhaps he had made a mistake, and Artie swore he would never take another vacation again because apparently, all hell broke loose while he was away.

Finally, on that evening that Helena emerged from the basement, the universe was back in order.

* * *

Helena went upstairs to ready for her much needed shower. She told the intern to burn her clothes – and she wasn't kidding. She didn't want to be reminded of what she had done. Myka said goodnight to everyone, including the Closet intern and Leena. The house was finally empty. By the time she got arrived upstairs, Helena had lathered her hair and scrubbed her body. The last time she felt like this good, she had been washing off decades of Bronzing. Finally, her fingers were able to glide through her long locks.

Myka walked into the steam filled room and watched the ivory shape move behind the shower door. She leaned against the sink and stared, thinking of how much she had missed Helena. It felt like three years instead of three weeks. Helena opened the sliding glass door and peeked out. "Join me?" she asked and Myka immediately threw her clothes off and disrobed. Helena stared at Myka's curvy form, wondering how she managed to do without touching it for so long.

"I must have been …," Helena said, gazing at her wife from head to toe, her fingers gently pushing a strand of Myka's hair back.

"Obsessed," Myka reminded her.

"I was going to say insane," Helena smiled, as beads of water cascaded down her back. The warmth from the water surrounded Myka as soon as she stepped inside. Colored lights in the shower head shone down and bathed Helena in a glow.

Myka gained a new understanding of the expression – _a sight for sore eyes_ – because every part of her own body burned with a deep desire upon seeing Helena's nakedness. It quenched her thirst of missing and made her ache with longing at the same time. Myka pulled Helena into her, grabbing her thigh and pulling her leg up to rest on her own, her other hand firmly on the small of Helena's back.. Her fingers gently kneaded Helena's flesh as if making sure she was really there.

Helena pressed hard against Myka's lips, gently biting the bottom one until it swelled ever so slightly. Then she left light kisses on Myka's neck, leaving a trail of goosebumps until she reached the peak of her breast and pulled it into her mouth. That action alone made Myka moan and throw her head back.

Myka steadied herself by grabbing her wife's buttocks with both hands. She squeezed the fleshy orbs and pulled Helena into her own sensitive core. There wasn't a part of Helena that she didn't want to – _need to_ – touch. Helena stopped only a moment to press of a switch on the wall of the shower stall that made a stool slide out. She pulled Myka and turned her to sit down on it and allowed the water to penetrate her hair. She took the shampoo and lathered Myka's hair – gently massaging her scalp.

"Oh, Helena, that feels ….," was all Myka could say as a bolt of exhilarated excitement shot through her body. She pulled Helena's hand down her chest so she would massage her there as well.

"I have missed you," Helena whispered in Myka's ear as she bent over and rubbed soap on her shoulders and down to cup her breasts.

"You make me feel so good," Myka shared in a sing song voice that turned quickly into a moan when Helena's hand slipped farther down. Myka moved to accommodate the intruding fingers that glided smoothly over a part of Myka so sensitive, she shuddered from the sensation.

Helena removed her hand, pulled Myka back to lean on her as she removed the shower head and washed the soap off Myka's body. The sensation of the water beads hitting Myka's skin getting closer and closer to where Helena's fingers had been, made Myka moan with anticipation.

Helena bent down and turned Myka's face to her. She kissed her hard, invading her mouth with a tongue that lost no skill in their time apart. All the time, Helena slowly lowered the shower head until it pulsated in between Myka's legs. Myka raked her fingernails down Helena's arms, gently at first, but her need was driving her and she pressed harder.

But something was missing and Myka insisted on stopping so she could get it.

She begged Helena to take her to the bedroom. They shut off the water, gently dried each other off, grabbed two large robes and put them on and went into their bedroom. Helena lay back on the bed as Myka went to the vanity table to get what she wanted.

"Give me your neck," Myka said and Helena sat back up and exposed her neck to her wife without question.

"I have missed this," Myka said, spraying the _Chanel No. 5_ perfume on her wife's neck. It was the aphrodisiac that sent Myka over the edge. It was the first thing she noticed about Helena when they first met, and it was the scent that aroused her because it was – Helena. It filled her senses and she all but lost control as she threw her robe off and pushed Helena back down on the bed. Helena could sense Myka's mixed emotions twisting and barely suppressed beneath the surface.

In minutes, she devoured Helena's skin from her neck down across her breasts to her stomach and beyond, where she then devoured Helena at such a painstakingly slow pace, that her wife considered this might just be her way of punishing her. Helena begged, but Myka was unrelenting in doing everything slowly until Helena all but pushed her head in place. But Myka's hand swiftly restrained Helena's which only served to push the Brit farther into a sweet agonizing state. Her head went back, her torso pushed up as she waited for relief. Finally, when Myka sensed she was at the peak, she tenderly and slowly pushed Helena into a sensory state of electric convulsions. There wasn't a part of Helena's body that didn't involuntarily jerk from the tension being released.

Helena had certainly learned her lesson.

Myka moved up next to her, pulling the one robe over them. "I love you," Helena said in short breaths. "Even before you did this to me," she laughed a guttural laugh.

"I intend to do this to you more often, just to make sure you don't forget," Myka whispered and sent an electric charge from her lips brushing Helena's ear. Then, her tongue lightly outlined Helena's lips, until she pressed down and kissed her.

Helena had barely recovered, but summoned her strength, and moved quickly atop Myka, her legs straddling her. Myka looked up into Helena's eyes that were so intense, they resembled glowing coals. She bent down to kiss Myka, her breasts quickly cupped in Myka's hands. "I will never forget, Myka, ever again."

Myka had been in such pain in her lover's absence that Helena's touches were like salve to her wounds. Every kiss, every gentle touch, made Myka's worries disappear. What took their place was her longing and it returned with renewed vigor as Helena finished what she had started in the shower. Myka gave into Helena's touch and when the release came in explosions, Myka let it come out in the form of a long, loud moan of calling out to God - that pleased her wife.

All was right in the Bering-Wells home.

* * *

The next morning, Myka woke with a start that she was alone, but immediately felt the warmth of Helena's arms around her, her knees pressing into the back of hers. "I'm here," Helena said immediately, sensing Myka's concern. Myka pulled Helena's arms in even tighter, just to make sure.

While the weekend afforded Helena and Myka hours together to talk about what happened and to promise it wouldn't happen again, their friends also had time to plan for Helena's return. None were more anxious than Claudia who needed her Sage's advice.

Helena was going to have one helluva first day back.


	6. What Goes Around, Comes Around

**What Goes Around, Comes Around**

Pete pushed the sheet back and looked at the text on his phone from Myka. ' _Please pick us up a few minutes earlier_ ' it said. He rubbed his eyes and realized that Myka meant both of them. "YES!" he yelled, leaned over and kissed Jane and jumped up to get ready. "Where's the fire?" the sleepy detective asked, her arm draped across her eyes. "She's back!" Pete said, rushing to get ready. Within minutes, he kissed her goodbye, told her to be safe, and slammed the door. The car was at the Townhouse long before either woman was dressed.

Pete's face lit up as soon as he saw his favorite couple once again walking down the steps to the waiting car. "Great to see you, Boss," he said as he held the door open for Helena.

"Thank you, Pete," Helena smiled warmly and placed her hand on his. He smiled the whole way to work.

Helena greeted the security guards, the staff and Myka smiled that her wife genuinely seemed surprised at the warm buzz that filled the hallways.

"They missed you," Myka said and she laughed as the proverbial lightbulb went on over her wife's head. It never ceased to amaze Myka at the things her Genius missed. She found it utterly endearing. The couple entered the elevator and before the door was closed, Myka turned swiftly, leaning into Helena and kissed her. "It is so good to have you back."

"I hope all the staff doesn't welcome me as warmly as you did," Helena teased.

"They better not," Myka said, as they arrived on her floor. "I'm the jealous type, you know."

"I did….know that," Helena confirmed as Myka's hand traversed up her side, leaving her slightly breathless.

"I will see you later," Myka said in a syrupy, low tone. "I have many things I want to go over….. and most of them… are on you."

The doors opened and Myka smiled devilishly and waved goodbye. Millie strained her neck to get a glimpse of the returning CEO. It was good to have her back. She smiled at how much better Myka looked. The glow that had been missing for days was back in full bloom.

It was a short ride for Helena to arrive on her floor, but long enough for everyone who had gathered outside her office to assemble.

"I've been waiting her since 7 AM," Artie complained to Sui, who told him there were people ahead of him.

"Take a number, _Married Guy_ ," Steve said, wanting to go over some security issues with Helena.

"You can keep him company, _Oh Truth Slayer_ ," Claudia said, having placed her name first on the list remotely.

"I'm right after the person after her. Unless I'm in six meetings and then I'm after that person," Eileen said, not wanting to be rude.

"Is it always like this?" Morgan Styles asked of the chaos in the waiting room and amid the shouting.

"Only when she's been away," Sui confirmed and promised he'd get back to Morgan about a meeting and checking his screen asked; "How does Thursday work for you?"

Irene Frederic walked into the crowded area and people separated into two groups. "She's like Moses and the Red Sea," Claudia whispered to Pete.

"She's not Jewish," Pete said back.

"Now, please remember everyone," Irene began, "…just because you have your name on a list, does not mean that you will get to see Ms. Wells today. It's her first day back and she's got quite a lot on her plate, so please be patient," the HR Director requested. She had tried to call Helena several times to warn her of the onslaught – not realizing of course that Helena's phone lie in pieces in the basement.

The elevator door opened and out stepped their boss dressed to the nines in an ensemble Sarah designed just for her. She wore a camel colored dress with black geometric design throughout, that hugged Helena at the waist. Over it, she wore a black coat with a camel colored belt, black bow stilettos, black pearl earrings, and black leather handbag. Her appearance caused a hush to fall over the crowd. Helena stood there, smiling, and wondering how she would get to her office door through the crowd. Suddenly, people rushed at Helena to explain why they needed to see her and only stopped when Irene raised her voice. Irene held the office door open and Helena slid through the crowd until she was through the door.

"Wow, they're crazy!" Claudia said, startling Helena who thought they were alone.

"Oh, dear God," Helena said, grabbing her chest.

"Sorry, did I surprise you?" Claudia asked, but was already rehearsing her speech and had little time for anything else.

"Ms. Donovan, I specifically asked everyone to wait until Helena had a chance to get settled.

"I'm number one and I'm not here about some silly nonsense," Claudia explained. "My stuff is super important. And can't wait," she added.

"You have five minutes," Irene said sternly. She would give some of the staff the benefit of the doubt.

The eponymous CEO shook it off and stood tall. She took a deep breath and the smell of her office reminded her how much she missed being here. She threw her pocketbook - which almost made the couch, tossed her coat which nearly made the chair, and marched to her desk. She sat down in her leather chair and caressed its arms slowly as she looked around at her familiar surroundings. She was glad to be back. On her desk were neat piles of papers, one stack so high that Claudia moved it so she could see her boss when she sat in the chair on the other side of the desk.

"Hello?" the first guest of many said, breaking her boss' reverie.

"Haven't you automated all of this?" Helena asked, as she looked at her desk.

"Those are the ones that people insist on getting your signature on," Claudia guessed correctly. "I guess we could try to download contracts for virtual signatures, but Myka insists that you read these."

"Four minutes, Ms. Donovan," Irene said from the couch, where she sat with her legal pad, standing guard as was her job.

"It's okay, Irene. I think we can spare some time for our IT Director," Helena said, wondering what these contracts were for.

"Anyway, I have a huge issue and it can't wait," Claudia said and now she was pacing back and forth in front of Helena's desk.

"Can I at least …," Helena was going to ask for tea, but it was too late.

"NO!" the techie explained. "Your tea barista is next and that's if she doesn't have like a skillion meetings, which by the way, she does." Claudia looked over at Irene who looked up from her pad. "I might have hacked into her computer," she admitted even though Irene never asked. There was something about that woman that made people confess. "Anyway," the techie said, getting back on track. "This is big," she almost whispered. "I'm going to ask ….I think Eileen and I …..we are talking about …..you know, I read your book!"

Helena tried to understand the whirling dervish, but when she couldn't, she looked directly over at Irene. "You're going to need that tea," Irene said, getting Sui on the phone and requesting it.

"Claud…," Helena attempted, but the young woman was on a roll.

"I need some help…," Claudia said and didn't hear Helena mutter – " _I'll say_ ," because she was pacing. "I don't know the first thing about proposing. And before that, I need to know if this is a good idea. I mean, look at me," she continued, looking everywhere, but at Helena. "What do I know about being a good wife? I don't know if I can do this. Suppose she says no? Suppose she's not ready? How do I know if we are?"

And then the lack of taking in any oxygen finally caught up with the IT Director and she hyperventilated. Her voice got strange and she was breathing faster than her body could keep up. Irene took a paper bag from the coffee table, opened it, scrunched the top together, placed it on Claudia's mouth, and told her to breath. It took a few minutes, but she finally started to breathe normally. Helena stared in disbelief at what was playing out, but Irene simply patted Claudia's back and told her to relax.

"Are you okay now?" Irene asked after the woman calmed down.

"Yes, but…," the techie started all over again. "I need the perfect setting, the perfect ..."

"Why don't we give Helena some time…," Irene tried to say, having jotted down what the techie said so Helena would remember later.

But Helena waved her off again. "It's okay, Irene. Why don't you give me until this afternoon and I'll come up with a plan," Helena offered.

"Really?" both Claudia and Irene said together.

Helena shrugged her shoulders. "I wrote the book. I should be able to come up with a simple plan for a proposal," she said as is if it were not big deal.

"Oh, I don't want _simple_. Well, I do and I don't. It has to be special," Claudia said, since her boss was offering.

"Are you ….certain you can do this _today_? On your first day back? With all of this?" Irene asked, trying to save her boss.

Saving the whales was easier than saving Helena from herself.

"Piece of cake," said the woman who rarely ate the food.

"Okay, thanks, Hel….boss," Claudia said and started to walk quickly toward the door.

Before Irene could open her mouth, Claudia was back at the desk. "She'll want your blessing. I mean, we both will. So …there's that, too," the techie said and continued her quick exit.

"Helena, it's your first day back. Perhaps you shouldn't overextend yourself until you've had a chance to see everything you have to attend to," Irene suggested.

"Pffft," Helena responded, downplaying the warning. "I do run the company, do I not?"

"Of course, you do. But you've been away …and people seem to have been saving some things for your return," Irene said of the list she had accumulated.

"Please, I was slicing DNA last week. I think I can handle some office angst," Helena said again. The words were no sooner out of her mouth when the person in the number two slot banged loudly and walked in.

"Thanks, Boss," Pete said and approached the desk. Irene smiled and stepped back, taking her seat on the couch. Sui brought in Irene's coffee and explained that Helena's tea would be coming soon.

Helena attempted to look at a paper on her desk when Pete caught her attention. "Boss?"

"Yes?" Helena asked, because she had ridden to work with the man.

"We read your book," Pete said, sitting down and then standing. "Well, I read it first. Jane didn't want to read it, but I convinced her it was really good. I mean, I'm more your science fiction kind of reader or sports biographies… Hey, maybe you could write a science fiction book about a boxer…okay, no," Pete said, able to read Helena's blank expression.

Helena went to speak, specifically to ask Pete if there was a point, but he was ahead of her. "I know, I know what you're doing to say," he said, now following in the techie's path and pacing back and forth in front of the desk. "Should I settle down? Can I tie myself to just one woman? " he asked and Helena muttered that she'd like to tie him to the chair, but he never heard. "I mean, she proposed and I said it had to wait, so that's kinda like saying yes already. I mean, I do love her and I do want to be with her," Pete said.

Helena was only surprised that this was the first she was hearing of it. "Well, congratulations, Pete. She's a very lucky…"

"But I told her things weren't good here," Pete continued. "You were all …," and he stuck his arms out and marched with a swaying gait and moaned to imitate the monster.

"I most certainly was not!" Helena said defensively.

"Well, not him, but like …the guy who made him. Anyway, things were not good here, and so I told her we had to wait," Pete clarified.

"Oh, the good Detective must have loved that," Helena said.

"No," Pete said, sitting down for the first time. "She understands totally. She gets me and she, you know, knows you guys are like my family."

Irene smiled at how sweet the man was and waited to hear Helena's response. Even from that distance, she could tell Helena was touched.

"Pete, I appreciate that you postponed your answer, but truly you must do what you think…," Helena tried, but she could not assuage his insistence.

"No, it had to wait. I couldn't do anything – I mean I couldn't think straight until I knew you were okay," came the heartfelt explanation.

A golf ball size lump appeared in Helena's throat and she opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Finally, Irene texted Eileen to prepare the tea if she could.

"Pete," Helena said, reaching across the desk and taking his hand. "I'm okay now and I'm sorry that my distractedness caused any disruptions to one of the most important days of your life!" She got up and came around the desk and hugged him.

It was too much for Pete. He had been so worried about Helena that he couldn't possibly have thought about something so important in his own life. "Thanks, Boss," he said, and choked back the tears.

"I'm going to tell her yes," he said, as if there had been any question.

"God speed," Helena said, smiling.

"As soon as you help me rehearse what to say," Pete spit out as Helena was about to turn away.

"Mr. Lattimer, isn't the answer one word? I don't think you can expect Helena to write your proposal acceptance," Irene gently chastised him, but Helena already had the gun aimed at her own foot.

"Don't be silly. Of course I can help you," Helena said, waving Irene off. She was so touched that Pete would ask and after all ….. "I wrote the book," she said to Irene.

"You're going to need more than one cup of tea with the size of the bites you're taking," Irene warned.

"See Mrs. F?" Pete said and whistled as he walked out, holding the door open for Eileen who was coming in with the tea.

"Oh, thank God someone around here knows me," Helena said as a shot to the HR Director who didn't acknowledge it.

"Helena, perhaps if you would let me…," Irene tried one more time to advise the overzealous leader that she had a long day ahead of her.

"You really do worry too much," Helena gently rebuked the woman. "I'm back and I will handle everything."

"O…kay, have it your way," Irene said, sighing her concession and sitting down on the couch again.

Eileen put the tray down on the desk, but didn't slide it over to where Helena could reach it. Irene caught the gesture and was about to say something when Helena shot her a look. Irene threw her hands up to stop.

"We need to talk," Eileen said and finally placed the cup in front of Helena. "I'm glad you're okay. You're okay, aren't you?"

Helena grabbed the tea in a very unladylike fashion, in case someone changed their minds. "I am now," she all but cooed as she imbibed the liquid.

"I know you've been prepping me to take on more things, Helena, but I had no idea you meant that I had to be ready at a moment's notice," the executive who had been thrust into the CEO's seat.

The tea was already taking effect and Helena felt calmer. "I know it was sudden…," she started, but was interrupted.

" _Sudden_?" the young executive said, looking back at Irene who all but expressed her confirmation. " _Sudden_ … is you have the flu. _Sudden_ is …not good. I know you had your reasons and I'm sure they are good ones. But this was your baptism by fire, Helena!"

Helena already knew what the woman was capable of or she would have put something else in place. She also knew that no one on staff would let the woman drown or blow up the company. "So, how did you do?" Helena asked, sipping the tea.

"How? How did I?" Eileen asked, as if she was a ridiculous question. "I did just fine! Six products are ready to go to market. We have distributors for all of them and at an increase over last year's contracts. I did just fine!" she said, pulling down on her jacket.

"As I knew you would," Helena said, smiling. "We cannot plan for every event, Eileen. I certainly didn't plan on this one happening the way it did, but I had every confidence you would take the reins and do what needed to be done."

"How did you know that? the youth asked.

"Because I have been the one training you," Helena answered sincerely.

"Oh, well, yes you have," Eileen conceded and wondered how the answer evaded her.

"And because if you had been faced with something you didn't know how to handle, I knew you would have gone to the right people," Helena explained.

"I did, I mean – everyone was very supportive," Eileen said - her tone much calmer now.

"As they should be. Things work better when we work together. Or so I've been told," Helena said, casting her eyes over at Irene.

"Morgan's been great," Eileen offered.

"Good! I'd hate to fire him on the first day I'm back," Helena said and meant it. She leaned forward and looked at Irene. "Although I could if I wanted to." Irene rolled her eyes, but didn't say a word as she crossed of Eileen on the long list.

"Well, there's a line…so I'll go. Thanks, Helena," Eileen said, much relieved to have gotten her audience.

"Please ask the next person to wait," Irene asked because she couldn't resist giving it one more try.

"Helena, there are a lot of people who felt something about your absence. I'm not sure you have to address them all today. Why don't you let me talk to them and see if we can handle things while you get through the work that's piled up?" Irene suggested.

"My absence?" Helena asked as if she couldn't make the connection. The truth was, she wasn't seeing the bigger picture just yet.

For as long as Irene knew Helena, the display of steel balls that hung in a case was on her desk. It was an example of Newton's Third Law – _for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction_. Mostly, Helena used it to annoy Irene by allowing the steel objects to make a clacking noise.

"Do you see this, Helena?" Irene said, touching the display on the desk.

"Yes," Helena said suspiciously. "You're not going to preach to me about Newton's Law, are you?"

"It will help you to understand what is going to take place all day today," Irene said, taking her seat and playing with an imaginary piece of lint on her skirt.

Helena stared at the object on her desk, aware of what it represented, but unable to make the connection to her day.

"Your sudden disappearance...…pushed them," Irene said, taking the end ball and pulling it back, then letting it go. Suddenly, Helena found the noise very irritating.

"And?" she asked impatiently.

"They're reacting – each in their own way. And if you don't stop it," Irene explained as she put her hand on the clacking balls. "…they'll be in here all day long."

Helena really felt the woman was being overly protective and while she appreciate it, her interference was getting annoying. Helena was back and she didn't want anyone thinking she needed help to address every issue.

"Irene, I'm the CEO. There's nothing coming through that door that I can't handle," Helena said assuredly, pulling the ball back and letting the irritating noise begin.

Just then, Steve who had waited as long as he could, knocked on the door and barged in. "Boss," he said walking directly to Helena's desk.

"We got rats."


	7. Who's the Boss?

**Who's the Boss?**

Helena stared at the young man in her office, who just announced they had a rodent issue. Surely, he didn't think she was in charge of extermination. She didn't mind showing off to Irene that she could handle anything from romantic crises to business issues, but infestations? No!

"Mr. Jinx?" Helena asked, wondering why he was bringing her this news. "Does Mr. Lattimer know?"

"Well, actually…," Steve said, looking over at Irene who was settled into her seat on the couch. "…he's afraid of them," he whispered and the coughed.

"Don't we have people who handle this?" Helena asked and looked over at her HR Director who raised her index finger as if to say – ' _wait'_.

"Oh yeah, we have people taking care of that, but they chewed through the security camera wires and we have to rewire a few of them. I was letting you know so you'd know the elevator cameras were out as well as your floor," Steve said, proud of his security update.

"Thank…you…Steve," Helena said haltingly. She wondered why he felt it necessary to give her a trivial update when he added –

"I know you like to turn the cameras in the elevators off sometimes, for privacy? So I just wanted you to know they're down anyway," he explained.

"I certainly do not…..," Helena protested loudly at the audacious assumption when she realized this was the human lie detector. She could already sense Irene's eyebrow raised at her declaration. "….want to hear about this unless it is to tell me that it is fixed!" she awkwardly segued.

Irene bit her lip and turned her head. "Thank you, Mr. Jinx," Irene said, after composing herself.

"No problem," Steve said, as his speechless boss just watched as he left.

Before Helena could stop Steve from allowing the next one in, Artie was through the door. Of course, the newlywed spent some of his time telling Helena about the beautiful honeymoon they had and then how he felt guilty because apparently while he was away, the place fell apart. Irene watched as Helena gritted her teeth and smiled, her politeness disappearing almost as quickly as her patience.

Artie dropped some financial reports on her desk and said he enjoyed the talk, but he had tons of work and had to get back to it. Helena's mouth opened to point out the piles on her desk, but he was already out the door.

Irene looked at her list. "Are you sure you don't want to take a break?" she asked, but Helena waved her off and said – " _Don't be silly_ ," as if Irene ever were.

"This must be what your day is like," Helena asked, making the comparison.

"Excuse me?" Irene asked to make sure she understood.

"Listening to people? Letting them talk and then be on their merry way? I don't really see the challenge in it," Helena admitted.

Irene sat erect on the couch and put her pad down on the table. "You don't think my job is challenging?" she asked slowly, giving Helena every opportunity to think clearly.

Helena was really thinking about it as she gazed up at the ceiling. "Not really, now that I think about it. I mean I know _you_ think it is and I'm sure some days are worse than others," Helena thought out loud.

"Take today for example," Irene said more to herself than her boss.

Coming back to work and taking over the reins was one thing; stepping on toes as she did it was another.

"Is it possible that you don't quite grasp what I do?" Irene said, trying not to be defensive. She was watching the CEO agree to stage proposals and write acceptance speeches. She also knew Helena jumped into the deep end of the pool before checking the depth.

Helena laughed her response as if there were _anything_ she couldn't _grasp_. "Oh, I don't mean _you_ can't do it and with aplomb," Helena started and should have shut up, but didn't. "It just seems incredibly easy."

"I guess after splicing DNA," Irene said getting a better understanding of what her boss meant. "Oh, I am going to enjoy this."

"Think of it as a refresher course," Helena said, sincerely.

"Excuse me?" Irene said for the second time.

"You know how people need brushing up on their skills? Well, watching me handle these issues will help you in the future," Helena said, believing what she was saying.

"I don't know…where to begin to thank you," Irene said and didn't mean it.

"No need," Helena said.

"It amazes me how little rope you need," Irene commented about her boss hanging herself.

"No need to be amazed. Just watch and learn," Helena said convinced she could do this with her eyes closed.

"Okay, Madam CEO," Irene said and yelled – "Next!"

Helena was a little surprised to see the next person come through the door. "Helena, thanks for taking time to see me on what must be one of your busiest days," Ted said, and wouldn't even sit down.

Helena looked up at him and wanted to ask what the hell he was doing there, but she noticed Irene out of the corner of her eye and decided not to. "What …in the world…brings you here?"

"I begged Irene to squeeze me in today," Ted shamelessly admitted.

"She's quite good at squeezing people," Helena said, but Irene never raised her head from the pad she had in her hands.

"You have to come back to the High School Business Workshops, Helena. We tried to hold it together while you were away, but these kids ….they want to see you and when you don't show up, they're…..unhappy," Ted put it politely. He had had board meetings with people who were more civil than some of these kids.

"I would think you would fit right in with all those adolescents, Ted?" Helena asked smartly, because she wasn't use to him being sincere.

"Good one, but really," he said and Helena realized he was being serious. "We need you back this week!"

Irene didn't want Helena getting ahead of herself and attempted one more time to intercede on her behalf. "Ted, Helena is just back from being away. Let's give her some time to get settled in before we commit….," Irene tried to interject.

But every attempt to save Helena was flatly dismissed. The more people came in with issues and the more Helena felt like she handled them, the bigger her head got. It theory, all of this was a piece of cake compared to what she had been doing for three weeks.

"When's the next workshop?" Helena asked in spite of Irene's suggestion.

"Tomorrow at 7:30 AM," Ted said because school started early.

"I'll be there!" the kind CEO said. The all-knowing look she gave Irene made the HR Director believe Helena was turning this into a game. One that she was going to win and then dearly pay the price.

"Oh, thank God. Thanks, Helena," her kinder, gentler nemesis said, shaking her hand, and leaving.

"Did you cross him off?" Helena asked, because it seemed that was all Irene was doing. "Why don't you try one?"

" _Try one_?" Irene asked as if she had just been instructed in something. "You want me to talk to the next person?" Irene asked, knowing who it was.

"Sure," Helena said, feeling benevolent. "It's like solving puzzles and saving the day," she mused, laughing at her own joke.

"You really think you can do my job, don't you?" Irene asked, getting up from the couch.

"I'm not saying _anyone_ can do it," Helena clarified just to be sure Irene wasn't getting insulted.

"But _you_ can," Irene stated, before she opened the door.

"Of course I can," Helena asserted. "Now, go and deal with the next person so I can clear my head."

" _That's a lot of clearing_ ," Irene muttered at her boastful guru. Irene was perhaps the only other woman who could allow Helena to go to the brink, and then prevent her from falling over. Irene allowed this because, unfortunately, the brink is where Helena learned most of her lessons. "Okay," Irene said, "If you insist."

The truth was, Helena was getting tired of listening. She usually did the talking and was finding this harder to do than she thought. Although she'd never admit that. Then Helena heard Irene say –

"I'm sorry, Myka, but Helena has insisted that I handle whatever issue you might need to see her about." Before Myka could ask what was going on, the woman smiled warmly and winked. "I hope she doesn't trip over her coat and bag getting here," she whispered out of the corner of her mouth, as Helena began her protests and ran to the door.

"Don't be ridiculous," Helena chastised the woman who was following her orders.

"But you distinctly told me…," Irene reminded her.

"I didn't know it was Myka!" Helena answered. "She has things to go over on me. With me! She wants to go over …," and the poor woman got lost in her thoughts.

"Oh," Irene said and slowly moved at of Myka's way. "In that case, I guess you need to go directly to Helena."

Myka clenched her eyes closed at her wife's faux pas and felt the blush rise in her cheeks. She smiled at Irene and wanted to say something, but her mouth was dry and her voice cracked when she said 'thank you'.

Irene chuckled and closed the door after Myka went through.

* * *

Inside the office, Helena melted into Myka's body and kissed her. "That was some Freudian Slip, Mrs. Bering-Wells," Myka said as she pulled her in closer.

"I can't help it," her wife pouted. "Since you made that declaration, I have not been able to think of anything else.

"Is Irene okay?" Myka asked because she looked a little more exasperated leaving Helena's office than usual.

"She's flustered because apparently, I excel at this HR stuff," Helena said, her mind on other things now.

"Oh, you do? I'm not surprised. You can do anything when you put your mind to it," Myka teased as her hands played freely over Helena's hips.

"That's… why I'm….. in charge," Helena said, trying to form full sentences.

"Yes, I heard you were the big cheese around here," Myka said, her breath now blowing near Helena's ear. Myka's hand cupped Helena's derriere to hold her in place when her ankles became jelly like.

"I am. I can…do…any…thing I like…really," Helena said, closing her eyes as Myka slowly unhinged her ability to speak.

"And what is it you would like to do now?" Myka said, slowly kissing Helena's neck in between those words.

"I …want…you," was all the CEO could utter. "Oh, God, Myka," she said, the words coming from the back of her throat as she felt tingling erupt all over her body.

Myka loved it when Helena's need was palpable. She turned quickly and pushed Helena up against the wall in one quick motion. Helena sucked in the air as the rough, yet gentle movement excited her. There was nothing more stimulating to Helena than to have Myka take charge.

"I'm wearing your favorite perfume," Helena said, exposing her neck. Of course she didn't have to announce that, but she wanted to feel Myka's tongue on her skin.

"That's nice," Myka said, her hands sliding up Helena's thighs. "But that's not where I'm headed."

Helena's knees joined her other joints in collapsing and Myka had to steady her before making good on her promise. "I can't….," Helena said, unable to will her strength back.

"Not to worry," Myka said, pushing her shoulder into Helena's and using her hand as an adept alternative method. "Just as well. This way, I can cover your mouth when you scream," Myka said, a second before she found that maneuver necessary.

Minutes later, she helped her wife to the chair, straightening out her dress and kissing her before excusing herself. Helena panted, pushed her hair off her face, and tried to regain her composure. Myka returned to her side.

"You're lucky the next employee didn't barge in," Myka said as she sat on the arm of the chair, playing with Helena's hair.

Helena grabbed Myka's hand to her face, still flushed from the redistribution of blood in her body. "Well, had they, it would solve the mystery as to why you're my favorite employee," Helena said.

"I am? I didn't think you were allowed to have favorites," her Chief Counsel noted. "Does HR know this?" She was sorry she said something that reminded Helena.

Helena turned and pulled Myka into her lap, her legs dangling over the edge of the chair. "I'm practically a member of the HR Team," Helena recollected.

"I love it when you play fantasy games," Myka teased and grabbed Helena's jaw to pull her into a kiss before she could protest.

Helena's mind returned to her favorite person and she took advantage of her wife's position at the moment. Her fingers trailed slowly up Myka's leg until they rested on the inside of Myka's thigh. "I do enjoy our lunches together," she whispered as her long fingers circled their way and slipped under Myka's underwear. Helena's smiled when she felt how excited her wife was and teasingly stroked Myka until she grabbed Helena's forearm to bring her relief. Biting her lower lip and moaning, Helena made no attempt to cover Myka's mouth. She didn't care if the world knew how wonderful it was that could spend time like this.

In spite of the small space they occupied, they cuddled until it was time to go back to work. After freshening up, Helena walked Myka to the door. Myka was going back to her office and Helena was going back to reflecting on what had played out in her office.

"I think I'm very good at this HR stuff," Helena said, reflecting out loud.

Myka wasn't really sure what Helena meant, although she was certain it had to do with the crowd of people that had been in her waiting room. She also found her wife's unwavering self-confidence a turn on. "Helena, there isn't a job here you couldn't do I'm sure. But you already have an important one as the Chief Executive Officer," Myka said in a breathy tone.

Those words that Myka said were translated by Helena to mean – " _Helena, you can do whatever you want. No one can really tell you what to do!"_

Helena eyes widened and sparkled as she interpreted what Myka had just said. "You are so brilliant, do you know that?" she stated, kissing Myka goodbye.

Myka smiled all the way back to her office. The kind of smile that told those in the know her mind was somewhere else.

"Welcome back," Millie said as Myka walked into her office. "I love it when they have lunch together," the assistant mused.

While Myka floated through the afternoon, finishing her work in a wonderful mood, her wife was on the floor above her – ready to take charge and get things done – her way.


	8. Lessons Learned

**Lessons Learned**

It took the Genius only a few minutes to mix Myka's message with Irene's words and come up with her plan. Helena didn't need to demonstrate her rightful place in the company, but she usually did it with such flair, it was tempting not too. Helena's methodical mind had the plan in place before Myka was back in her office.

She didn't need people lining up to see her; she would go to them.

First stop, Eileen's office.

Helena walked in and, in spite of the meeting going on, she announced she had something to say. Eileen went to give her the seat at the head of the table, but Helena insisted she stay seated. Helena then looked at the woman to Eileen's left who leaped up and offered hers.

"Miss Sullivan did tell me about the projects that are rolling out. Great job. I take it the others are on track?" Helena asked, looking around at everyone.

This was a different tone than Eileen heard a short while ago. This was Helena in charge and Eileen wondered what had transpired since they talked.

"We're behind schedule on the family robot because data from test groups indicate that they don't want a dog robot and although they like the idea of the personal assistant android, the idea of a life like one freaks them out," Eileen reported and showed Helena the data report.

"People cite concerns over their ….feelings….about the entities," a senior developer on the team said.

The team had been struggling with how to design a robot that people would actually accept. So far, if it wasn't round and cleaning the floor, people didn't trust it. This was a joint effort between the team of engineers and the IT department. Helena looked around for her IT Director.

"Where is Ms. Donovan?" she asked Eileen.

"She's unable to make it to this meeting," Eileen shared.

It took Helena all of a minute to offer a solution. "Make the prototype a toy. Something that children of different ages would desire. We started with the wrong generation," she pointed out to Eileen. "While we all agree this is the way of the future, not everyone wants to embrace that. So bring it to their homes in a more agreeable form – dolls, playmates, build your own robot kits," Helena said.

"But those things are already out there," a brave person pointed out.

Helena stared at the person hard. "What is your name?" she asked and he answered quickly. "Mr. Leeds, if I were in charge of this team, I would fire you," the CEO said truthfully and everyone at the table immediately pulled back out of the line of sight.

"But it's the truth," he protested.

"Yes, and fortunately for you, Miss Sullivan appreciates the truth. I detest lack of vision, Mr. Leeds. Do not tell me that ' _those things'_ are already out there. Your job is to imagine ours differently. If I build one of those robots, will it help me with homework? Will it provide real life experience in dealing with situations? For instance, if you had one and had rehearsed what you were going to say, I dare say a Wells machine would have warned you of the consequence," Helena smiled smugly.

Eileen watched her mentor as she handled the discussion and wondered if she would ever be that smooth? "So we should set the stage?" Eileen asked, getting Helena's point. They had used the wrong age in the consumer group.

Helena smiled because she knew her protégé understood – and quickly. "We are the future, are we not?" the CEO asked.

Eileen smiled and nodded her head. In minutes, Helena did what would have taken days – maybe weeks – for the team to figure out.

"Good job," the CEO said to them as she took her leave. She could hear Eileen speak with renewed vigor as they discussed how to proceed.

* * *

"How are you doing, Mr. Generis?" Helena asked as she wondered where the crowd that had been in her waiting room was.

"I am feeling better, now that you're back," he said, having analyzed his own emotions. "I believe that you add a very positive energy to this place when you are here and that – like everyone else – I respond to that."

"Well, thank you for sharing that. Where is Mrs. Frederic?" she inquired.

"Mrs. Frederic is in a meeting at the moment," Sui said.

"Is she?" Helena said mulling over what had happened before.

"She won't be done for another hour or so," Sui said, looking at Irene's schedule.

"Tsk," Helena said, thinking how wasteful that was. "I bet I could do it in ten," she decided as she got on the elevator to demonstrate what she meant.

* * *

Irene was wading through the list of issues in her conference room when Helena literally burst onto the scene. She liked to make an entrance. Half the people jumped, including the woman whose back was to her.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," she said close to Irene's ear. "I did so well this morning, I thought I'd give it another go."

"Don't you have contracts and reports to look at?" Irene asked.

"I don't mind," Helena said, missing the point. "Besides, I'm very good at this….. _stuff_."

No one had any idea what their boss was referring to and no one dared ask.

"Well," Irene began as Helena took her place at the other end of the table. "We were just hearing from Engineering that there are six completed projects and they're in need of overtime hours to get the shipments out on time."

This was practically another language to Helena, but she didn't dare let on. She also didn't know the first thing about this, but that wouldn't stop her giving her opinion.

"Why can't they do it in the allotted time?" Helena asked. That's when Irene suspected her one hour meeting would take four.

"The managers cannot meet the …. _deadlines_ ….without the additional hours," Irene explained. She was hoping to spark Helena's memory that she was in fact the one who had imposed the target dates.

"I dare say if we told them I could have ten workers here in an hour that could get it done might help motivate them," Helena said forgetting that the HR Department didn't approve of the use of threats.

"Oh God," Irene moaned as she folded her hands and leaned forward. "With all due respect to our esteemed CEO," Irene said and Helena didn't think she was being sincere, "…it would cost more to replace the ten staff members than it would to actually pay the overtime cost."

There was dead silence as everyone's head turned to look at their guest as she thought about that. Helena valued getting people to do what they were supposed to do and cared less about how you got them to do it. Apparently, Irene disagreed. Helena understood she was relatively new at this, and figured she'd defer to Irene….this once.

"What about you?" she asked the person next to her. The woman, who didn't expect to be called on, jumped and started to shuffle papers quickly.

"Well," the thirty-something stalled until she found the page she was looking for. "The lab assistants are complaining that the lab coats are too warm."

"What the bloody hell?" Helena asked and went on to the next person. "You!"

"The chefs in the dining hall are receiving objections about the menu," the dining hall representative said.

"Objections? What the hell would I do about that?" Helena asked and pointed to the next person.

"We're having an HR issue?" the man asked more than stated because he was intimidated by the chief executive's presence.

"Oh, you do?" Helena asked, thinking she had finally struck gold. "Do tell." Finally, something she knew she would be good at solving.

"Well," he said hesitantly and looked down at Irene.

"Don't look at her! I asked the question," Helena snapped and he jumped. "You can say whatever it is. I'm sure Mrs. Frederic doesn't mind. We're practically a team now," Helena shared and the one most surprised by the statement was Irene.

"Oh, this ought to be good," the Director said, pushing back in her chair.

"Well, there are reports of a …rodent issue and some of the workers are … squeamish …and didn't want to work until we could assure them …that it was taken care of," he said.

 _Again with the rodents_? Helena thought and slapped her forehead. "This is your issue?" Helena asked incredulously, glaring at the man. He didn't realized he was being chastised for being redundant.

"Ye-ess," he answered.

"This is the issue you came here to discuss? That you work with a bunch of scaredy cats? What are we supposed to do? Tell them to take off until the extermination takes place?" Helena asked in succession. The more annoyed she got, the thicker her accent became.

"I…..wasn't….," he tried to explain, but the CEO was having none of his explanation.

"What are _you_ here for?" the woman in charge asked another staff member.

The woman swallowed hard and leaned forward. Irene had wished that Helena hadn't selected her, but she couldn't get Helena's attention. "There was a HR complaint from one of our scientists that I felt needed to be addressed immediately," the woman said and she tried to clear her throat to continue.

Helena waved her hand at her to please complete her thoughts. "Finally, something of urgency. What is it?" she asked, but the woman hesitated.

"It's no wonder your meetings take so long when no one is forthcoming," Helena complained.

"Itwasaboutyou," coughed the woman into her hand.

Helena turned to the woman, retreated in her seat, and looked straight down the table at Irene, who didn't seem flustered at all. "And what is your issue? Too many negative ions in the air? This is what you do?" the Genius asked confused by the content of the meeting.

"Helena, these are the types of issues that HR handles," Irene explained and watched as the Genius tried to process that she had made a mistake.

" _This_ is what you do in….. HR meetings?" Helena asked, wondering why Irene would put up with such nonsense as people's feelings about rats.

"Could I have a moment alone with Ms. Wells?" Irene asked, and chairs were pushed out as people tried to get out first. "Not what you expected?

"Are _all_ your meetings like this?" Helena asked, scowling.

"People like to be heard, Helena," Irene explained.

"Bloody waste of time. Afraid of working because a rodent might be underfoot. Lab coats that are too warm! What's next? Not enough nap time?" she exaggerated.

"It's all part of Human Resources, Helena. It's what we do. We listen to people and decide what appropriate action, if any, needs to be taken," Irene explained of her life's work.

"But there's so much complaining and whining," the boss whined. "I don't know how you put up with it, really," Helena said.

"It's my forte, I guess," Irene answered. "It doesn't bother me when people carry on." She was fully aware that the present company had no idea it included her.

Helena had her fill. She was tired of hearing people share their every whim and wanted to get back to making executive decisions. "Well, you can have it!"

"So you won't be joining the Human Resource Department full time?" Irene asked, chuckling a little.

Helena wanted nothing more than to call Irene's bluff, but the thought of listening to any more incessant talking about minutia would drive her crazy. "I hear the woman in charge is a real pain in the arse," Helena said mockingly.

"Oh, she is, she is!" Irene confirmed. "But thankfully, she's on the 17th floor."

Helena shot Irene a stare as the older woman laughed at her own joke and got up to leave.

"I want the name of that scientist!" she yelled to Irene.

"All in due time, Helena. All in due time," Irene said, wanting to spare the man his life unless it was absolutely necessary not to.

There was only one place for Helena to go to lick her wounds – or have someone else tend to them.

* * *

Bridget Cummings was thrilled that Myka's assistant not only greeted her, but walked over and held Myka's door open when she arrived.

"Everything back to normal?" Bridget asked Millie.

"Better than ever," Millie shared as the investment banker walked inside. One look at her friend's incessant smiling told her the woman was right.

"Well, I had the corned beef on rye for lunch, but from the looks of it, I'd say Myka had the _CEO Special,_ " Bridget teased as soon as she got there. Millie burst out laughing and closed the door quickly.

"Well, look who's returned to the living," Bridget declared as she walked over to the couch and made herself comfortable. "Does this mean you and Helena made up? And by ' _made up_ ' I mean spent the weekend having wild sex to make up for three weeks of abstinence."

"We did," Myka admitted freely and lost herself in those memories. There was no use in denying it; the woman would get it out of her sooner or later.

"If only you could project those images that are making you smile like that, Bering," Bridget said and laughed.

"They're private," her shy friend scolded her.

Bridget was about to ask for details, but the door burst open and the cause of that smile on Myka's face came through it.

"Did you know what the Human Resource Department does? Did you know that if you have a complaint about …anything…the color ink in your pens…the draft that might come through your window…that Irene will _listen_ to you?" Helena bellowed as she walked directly to Myka's desk and threw herself in a chair, seemingly unaware of the guest.

"You're back!" Bridget said and Helena glanced her way.

"I thought I could help them, but all they do is collect the misery and woes of the entire building I fear," the CEO said exasperated.

Bridget found Helena's mind fascinating and never missed an opportunity to see it up close. She got up and sat in the chair next to Helena and watched.

" _You_ …wanted to help HR?" Myka asked slowing, wondering how that went over.

"Yes, but I couldn't stand it! Don't we have policies against whining all the time? How much of her day is spent on that?" Helena wondered out loud.

"I'm sure Irene knows which complaints are legitimate," Myka offered.

"No! I think she listens to them all. I think we pay her to listen to people complain and carry on all day long," Helena said, having given this a lot of thought… as she walked the few steps to her wife's office.

Bridget immediately saw the connection and bit her bottom lip hard because unlike Myka, things tended to just come out of her mouth. "She does seem very experienced," Bridget said and tried not to laugh at her own joke.

"I think she should stop immediately," Helena said, waving her arm as if making a new policy.

The whole topic became too tempting to the fun loving investment banker. "Wouldn't you miss her?" Bridget asked and Myka shot her friend a warning look.

Then Bridget learned something the hard way. Teasing Myka was one thing – it was a true expression of affection. Teasing Helena was poking a dangerous animal, hoping she would play along, instead of instinctively attacking.

"You wouldn't be _insinuating_ anything, would you, Ms. Cummings?" Helena asked and turned to look at her.

Perhaps because Bridget had worked well with Helena, she had forgotten what Helena was like when she was not pleased. Helena's eyes locked onto the investment banker as they scowled from under perfectly shaped eyebrows that arched slightly.

"No! Not at all!" Bridget said, sitting back, taking her admonishment like a woman. "Good to see you back," she said, getting up. She was about to pat Helena on the back, but thought better of it and pulled her hand away. The woman smiled at Myka and left quickly.

Once safely outside, Bridget intuitively looked down at her hands, to see if there was any blood. Millie read the woman's expression perfectly.

"She's not Myka," she said and meant _– you can't mess with her_.

"Almost forgot that," Bridget said, glad to get out alive. She went to the elevator and pressed the button a few times, trying to will its arrival. When the doors opened, she nearly ran into Irene, who had been visiting the complaining scientist.

"Everything okay, Ms. Cummings?" Irene asked because it was rare to see the woman unnerved.

"Sure. Just survived a near death experience, that's all," Bridget said, happy to be one step closer to her exit.


	9. What Becomes a Legend Most

**Oh, it's good to be back. A PC crash sidelined me for days.  
Let me know what you think - as always - it's much appreciated.**

 **AsgardianBlade - you're a life saver!**

* * *

 **What Becomes a Legend Most**

With her friend safely out of harm's way, Myka turned her attention back to Helena. "I think you might have scared her," she said, smiling. She was certain Bridget could handle it.

"Good!" Helena said, pleased she still possessed that enviable skill. "This has been a very challenging first day back," she added.

"Oh, I don't know," Myka said rounding her desk and sitting next to Helena. "I think you managed just fine so far." She leaned in and kissed Helena's bottom lip that still was in pout mode.

"How I wish you would move upstairs so that you could be closer to me," Helena said - her entire body calmer already.

"We would get no work done," Myka reminded her of the truth.

"But we would have such fun!" Helena replied, pulling Myka in to kiss her again. The two broke out into laughter at the thought.

"Well, I better let you get back to work," Myka finally said. "I hear you have a proposal to plan and another to write!"

"I've done nothing but save people since I got in this morning," Helena summed up her day thus far.

"Well, we all have our strengths," Myka said, holding Helena's hand as they walked to the door.

Myka smiled sweetly at her wife. There was something larger than life about Helena and it wasn't just her self-confidence. Helena was one of those rare individuals who were completely justified in their ego strength.

Helena stood in the doorway with Myka just as Irene appeared in the hallway. She was putting her arm around a woman who was obviously distressed. The couple watched as the woman broke into tears and Irene walked her into her office and closed the door. Millie appeared in front of Myka with some papers.

"That's Naomi," the _in-the-know_ assistant said even though no one asked. "Her husband died last year, she has a daughter in college, and now her mother's fallen ill." The assistant looked at the CEO who had narrowed her eyes on her.

Just then a man could be heard outside of Irene's office, telling Sandy, Irene's assistant, that he had to see Irene and that she was the only one who could help him.

Helena stood there taking this in when Millie filled in the missing pieces. "That's Greg in Development. Takes his daughter to Boston on weekends for specialized treatments and his hours just changed," Millie said, because she knew the Administrative Assistant in his department who heard him explaining to his boss why they couldn't change his hours.

"I don't know why we have a newsletter, Ms. Barone, when _you_ could simply walk the halls," Helena commented sardonically, but the woman was not deterred.

"I hear things," Millie offered as she joined the couple looking down the hall.

"I guess they all know who to go to when they need someone on their side," Myka commented without thinking, and quickly added – "You know, to help them in the day to day issues."

"Nice save," Millie said because even she worried Helena would take that comment the wrong way.

Just then, the door to Irene's office opened and a much calmer, much relieved Naomi appeared, holding onto Irene's hand and thanking her repeatedly. She hugged her and went back to her area. Greg immediately stepped up and they could hear Irene assure him she had been apprised of the situation and that his boss was looking into other options. He, too, grabbed Irene's hand and shook it, thanking her for her help.

Just as with the first employee, Irene told him it wasn't necessary. To Irene Frederic, this was all just part of her job. Only then did Irene notice that she was being observed. She smiled down the hallway at them and went back into her office.

"I've been a damn fool," Helena said, turning to look directly at Myka. Millie knew that was her cue to sit down at her desk. Her eyes may have been cast downward, but her ears were not missing a word.

"What do you mean, Sweetie?" Myka asked concerned, but Helena was already perturbed.

"Letting me go on about doing her job! Now I suppose she's waiting for me to apologize!" her wife harrumphed, jumping the gun and shooting it.

"Wait? What?" Myka asked, but Helena's ill-informed insinuations were forming faster than she could keep up. She looked at Millie who had stood up to see what was going on, but even she shrugged her shoulders. "Helena, I don't know…,"

"Oh! She thinks she's so clever, doesn't she?" Helena said, marching down to the HR Director's office, Myka in tow, trying to get Helena to slow down.

Myka replayed the scene in her head – the two very upset employees needing to see Irene and then the positive outcomes after speaking with her. That scenario should have pleased the CEO – that employees felt there was a place to go that they could get their issues addressed. Myka was still trying to figure out how that translated into something to annoy Helena.

"Before you go in," Myka said, gently pulling at Helena's arm to slow her pace into what she suspected would be a surprise visit. "….what is it that you're …..doing?" Myka bit her lip instinctively because she knew Helena didn't like to be side tracked when she was hell bent.

"What…am I? Didn't you see? You know she…," Helena stammered, her words not yet caught up to her actions.

Just then, Irene opened her office door and was surprised to see Helena there. Again.

Myka's confused expression alerted Irene that something was up, but that same expression also made Helena second guess herself. Helena detested guessing, let alone second guessing.

"I'm not apologizing!" she said to Irene, her hands on her hips.

The HR Director, who never grew weary of being blindsided by her boss, stared back at her. "Okay," she said.

Helena's emotions had been shoved down for so many years, that even when they sought the light of day, getting out was never easy. Myka's way was to gently prod them out. Irene found that the more neutral she stayed, the faster Helena got to the kernel of truth.

"Do you see?" Helene turned and said to Myka, who was still in the dark. Helena marched into Irene's office – the issue obviously not dealt with. Irene opened the door wider and waited for Myka to come in.

"Let's get at what's bothering her," she almost whispered to Myka. Irene closed the door and walked around to her seat, which she took.

Myka sat down and looked up at Helena who was all but pacing as she waited for the thoughts to connect with the right words. She looked down at Myka who looked confused. It was in that instant, in those green eyes that always reflected Helena's best self, that Helena got it. She understood her emotions much better when she experienced them with her _One_. She thought about what she was feeling – _foolish_. She originally decided that it was Irene's fault for making her feel that way – by allowing her to boast that she could do Irene's job. Helena's brain argued that Irene should have stopped her from making such a declaration. But Helena's heart was staring at Myka and it knew that no one else was in charge. She looked into those jade pools that smiled back at her and the calming effect was profound. The calmness afforded the Brit some clarity. She smiled and turned to Irene.

"I do apologize," she said, standing there and looking at Irene now, her finger grazing the edge of the desk.

"I can't imagine what for," Irene said sincerely.

Helena wasn't surprised she didn't understand and decided patience was in order. "I underestimated the breadth of what you do here. And as a result, I misspoke when I said I found this work unchallenging. In fact, I believe you face as many challenges as the scientists who work in our labs do."

Considering the intricate nature of many of the inventions and advances that Wells Corp worked on, Irene knew this was a compliment of the highest order. "Well, thank you, Helena," Irene said, smiling.

"Do we have things in place?" Helena asked, but her eyes were on the door and Irene understood that she meant for the people who just left.

"Yes, we have a very robust Employee Assistance Program for people who have family issues just like those staff members," Irene assured her. "Thanks to you."

As much as Helena enjoyed getting credit, she didn't like it if it wasn't due. "I didn't even know we had one of those things."

"Maybe not, but you approved it. In fact, you approve whatever budget requests HR makes," Irene reminded her boss.

Myka smiled because she knew what Irene was doing. Helena many not want to be bothered with the minutia of Human Resources, but she was responsible for the freedom and flexibility Irene had.

"I know how you carry on when you don't get your way," Helena boldly lied. Then she became serious and said - "They know you have their best interests at heart." It was as if she solved the mystery of what drew people to Irene. She was in fact, speaking for herself as well.

Irene blushed at the sincere accolade. "I have learned from the best," she said, looking right at Helena.

Myka smiled at the exchange and photographed it in her memory as one of the sweetest moments between the two women.

Helena wanted the whole thing tied up in a bow and shelved. "Good. Now, maybe we can all get back to doing what it is that we do best," said the woman who was preventing that very action.

Myka bit her lip to stifle the chuckle and Irene fought the laugh, but it simply burst in her eyes. "Yes," she said, getting up. "I think that's an excellent idea," she said, unable to keep the lilt out of her voice.

"Of course it is," Helena said, shaking her head at the redundancy. "I suggested it."

With that, the CEO concluded the impromptu meeting and exited. Myka quickly followed, but not before exchanging smiles with Irene.

Helena wanted to feel good about that whole conversation and Myka gave her that by saying how much she thought it meant to Irene to have Helena understand her job.

"She is very good at what she does," Helena all but whispered as she pressed for the elevator.

"Yes, she is," Myka whispered back as if it really were a secret.

Myka kissed Helena goodbye, long over her hesitation for public displays of affection. She couldn't help it anymore, especially when Helena was being, well, _Helena_.

* * *

The CEO slash Romance Expert returned to her office and called for Claudia. " _Let's get these things taken care of_ ," she said while she waited, going through the contracts on her desk. Putting her speed reading skills to good use, she went through several and wrote her questions, concerns or comments on them before the Director of IT appeared.

Helena had given Claudia's predicament some thought and was ready to help her. "What ideas did you have in mind?" she asked Claudia.

"Well, I don't know. Maybe build some robots and have them deliver the proposal? One would bring the ring? Another ….,"

"Stop!" Helena said, her hand up, imploring the woman who was on the wrong track. "Not everyone thinks the way we do. Now, remember, your future fiancée is a true romantic, yes?" Helena asked, as she came around her desk and summoned her friend to the couch.

She had a valid point. Claudia snapped her fingers as she sat down. "They could carry flowers?"

Helena smiled, but shook her head no. "You're about to ask the woman of your dreams to spend the rest of her life with you….," Helena started to explain, but the words pushed at her guest.

"Okay, Helena, please don't make it sound like it's huge," the techie said, throwing her hands up to demonstrate.

"Oh, but it is," the Expert confirmed in spite of the pleas. "It's one of the biggest things you'll ever do!"

Claudia's stomach started to twist tightly. She knew Helena was right, of course, but the more they talked about it like that, the more she feared she couldn't pull it off to Eileen's liking. She pushed back in the chair and the color started to fade from her cheeks. Helena looked at her mystified.

"Darling, you do want to propose, do you not?" she asked.

"Yes, very much so, but she's perfect with this perfect life and I don't know if I can do it just the way she wants. I'm not all that romantic, you know," Claudia said in one breath.

"I must warn you, Claudia, that hyperventilating will reduce the romantic setting, no matter where you are," Helena said and the young woman tried to take some deep breaths.

"Good, now let me ask you. Where is your favorite place to be with Eileen?" Helena asked.

"The Apple Store," came the immediate albeit unexpected response.

"Oh," Helena said, hoping it was the Oak Room at the Plaza, but working with whatever answer she got.

"I went there with her to buy a Mac Book Pro and she was so confused about which one to buy, she looked so adorable with the crinkly forehead. We spent the afternoon going over everything," Claudia said, looking up and smiling at the memory.

"Well, then, we have our setting," Helena said, pleased the plan was taking shape.

"What? You want me to propose to her while people are shopping for things and as _geniuses_ are explaining the technology?" the techie asked horrified – at all those things.

"Well, it is the ideal setting as you said and we'll just get rid of those consumers," Helena said.

"But suppose the new IPhone comes out that day or what if …," the techie conjured up as Helena grabbed the phone on the end table.

"Tim Cook," she said into the phone. "Helena Wells." Claudia's head swung around to stare at her boss. "Tim, how are you? Yes, very well, thank you. No, but as soon as I do, I promise to call you," Helena said and then put her hand over the phone and said to Claudia – "Always afraid we'll beat him to the punch on contact lens technology. "Tim, I need one of your stores," she continued as her protégé sat back and listened. "Which one?" she asked Claudia.

"Broadway and 67th?" Claudia asked.

Helena repeated it. "Good. Now, I'll let you know the exact date soon. Well, I hope you're not releasing another version either that day or you'll have to postpone it. Now, Tim, please do something about the title you've given your salespeople," Helena continued since she had the man in charge on the phone. "Yes, I know that you think it conveys _something_ to the consumer. But it's annoying as hell to those of us who really are geniuses. Okay, good. Thank you, Tim," Helena said and hung up.

As far as Helena was concerned, she had gotten everything she wanted and they should move on. "Now, as for the date…," she started, but was interrupted.

"Wait! What did he say?" Claudia wanted to know.

"Oh, he said he'll change the sales designation immediately," Helena smiled.

"About the store?" Claudia said, wondering how the resident genius missed that.

"Oh, yes, you can have it any time. Now, is there a date with any significance that you'd like to pick?"

Claudia thought about that and tapped her finger on her chin. "Next week is the anniversary of the binary code," the techie said, these dates on the tip of her tongue, but her mentor said no.

"We need something that has particular significance to _both_ of you," Helena suggested.

That took the calculating prodigy a little longer. "Next week is the anniversary of the first time she said she loved me," Claudia offered.

"That's more like it," Helena said, pleased they were off of technology dates.

"I remember because it's the same date as the first Turing Test," the techie said proudly.

"Oh, God," Helena sighed. "Claudia, our lives are made up of moments in time," the Time Traveler said, taking her hands. "You will remember this moment for all its glory for years to come. For most, it will be just another Monday or Thursday, but for you, it will be marked as the official beginning of your planning your lives together. Do you want to marry that girl?" Helena asked.

"Yes, with all my heart!" came the immediate response.

"Do you feel that feeling you have right now as you think and speak of your love?" Helena pointed out.

"Yes, I feel warm and wonderful and not like throwing up so much," Claudia summarized.

"Good! Then it is with your heart that you will figure out the rest. Use this," Helena said, pointing to Claudia's heart, "That is where romance lies. Not so much this," she concluded touching the youth's head.

Claudia thought about what her experienced friend was telling her. "I got it!" she said and jumped out of her chair.

"I'm sure you do," Helena said, smiling.

Claudia started to pace back and forth until the thoughts congealed in her mind. "I'll be back," she said, running out.

Helena leaned back in her seat and smiled. " _You were right, Oscar_ ," she said of her dear friend who told her once that _youth was wasted on the young_. She had told him to put his name on that, but he procrastinated as usual. Years later, the quote would be accredited to her other friend, George Bernard Shaw.

Feeling good about the first of her many requests that day, Helena summoned Pete. Helena marveled at the nervousness that her friends both shared.

Helena finally stopped trying to talk as Pete paced the length of the coffee table and explained what he was thinking. "I think I'll take her to the Oak Room for dinner…," he said and Helena couldn't help but utter – "Oh, thank God."

"I'll order our favorite dinner and then when dessert comes, I'll tell the waiter we want the raspberry sorbet we had on our first date. Then, they'll put the ring in the glass with the sorbet and when she finds it, I'll tell her that I am saying yes!"

Helena smiled to think there were two romantic experts in the room. "You should write your own book someday, Pete," Helena said and meant it.

"Naaahhh," he said, but then asked – "You think?"

"I do indeed – think," Helena confirmed as she stood up.

"Thanks, Boss. For everything," Pete said and leaned in and bear hugged her and then left to make the arrangements.

Helena took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I don't know how she does it all day long," she said of her friend in HR.

* * *

Helena finished her work and met Myka in the elevator at the end of the day. "Oh, it is good to see you," Helena said as Myka got in the carriage with her.

"I missed you," Myka said, pushing into Helena and kissing her.

"I have it on very good authority that the cameras are not operational in my elevator," Helena whispered as her hands pushed under Myka's coat and began roaming.

"As if that's ever stopped you before," Myka said, but pulling back to see if Helena was being serious. "Really? They're out?"

"Yes, we have …..," Helena said, pulling at Myka's dress in the back.

"Seconds! Helena, you have seconds," Myka reminded her wife.

"Long enough," Helena said because her elevator was the only one in the building that had a speed setting on it.

"Put it on slow decent," Myka suggested, giving them a little more time.

"What an excellent idea, Mrs. Bering-Wells," her wife teased as she allowed her hands to slowly lower between Myka's legs.

* * *

"Were you able to get the security cameras all back online?" Irene asked Steve when she saw him in the hallway.

"Just about to press the button," he replied and Irene walked with him.

"Claud, are we set to go?" he said to the IT Director who finished the job in no time after her talk with Helena.

"One more thing and yes! We're good to go in three, two, one…," Claudia said as she pressed the button to bring all the fixed cameras back live.

The joint effort of IT and Security went off without a hitch. And then the camera in the Private Elevator came up on the screen and the image of their favorite couple in a very intimate embrace appeared.

Time seemed to slow down for Irene as she yelled at them to do something. The woman who could work with the tiniest screwdrivers became all thumbs as she groped for the button to shut off the camera. Steve just stood there watching, neither embarrassed nor flummoxed. Finally, the screen was blank.

"Working fine," he shrugged his shoulders as he started to leave. Irene grabbed his arm.

"This never leaves this room," she warned them as they shook their heads okay.

* * *

"I think we should sit by the fire tonight…," Helena said as they drove home.

"Sure," Myka said, and then remembered. "Oh, I have papers to correct," she said of her impromptu assignment.

"I have to pick you up at 6:45 tomorrow," Pete reminded Helena of her date with the High School students.

After dinner, Myka diligently took the stack of papers and placed them on the coffee table in front of the couch, in front of the fire. Helena lay down next to her, her head comfortably in Myka's lap.

Myka was reading her students' responses, as Helena sighed that something else had her wife's attention. "I think I should like to come to one of your classes," Helena said.

"Oh?" Myka responded.

"I would like to see who gets to spend so much time with you," Helena decided.

"Okay," Myka said. "I have one tomorrow. I give special attention to students who bring me apples."

"Oh? In that case, I shall bring a tree," Helena replied.

Myka went back to grading her papers, while Helena fell sound asleep in her lap. It had been a long day for the returning CEO and she was glad it was over.

Little did Helena know - her second day was not going to go as _smoothly_ as her first.


	10. Taking Center Stage

**Taking Center Stage**

The only regret Helena had about agreeing to go to the school program so early the next morning was that it didn't afford her enough time with Myka. Although she had met with administrators to discuss what they wanted the program to provide, she had missed the first few sessions. For her, it was going to be very cut and dry.

While Helena dressed, Myka rushed downstairs to get something for her. When Helena came down, there was Myka, bouncing on the balls of her feet, biting her bottom lip, and holding something behind her back.

"What are you up to, Mrs. Bering-Wells?" Helena asked, acting as if she were suspicious.

"Well, since it's your first day of the high school program…..," Myka said, giddy over her own joke. "…. I got you this!" Myka pulled out what looked like a very small boxy pocketbook with artwork on it and held it up. Helena stared at it, wondering how she was going to fit everything from her purse into it.

"Well, that is very sweet," Helena said, opening up her bag to transfer the items.

"No, silly! It's a lunchbox," Myka explained.

"Lunch… box?" Helena repeated because the item and term had not really crossed her path before.

"Yes, you take this to school with you and your mom puts like a sandwich and snacks in it. Look, I made you peanut butter and jelly and there are grapes and a juice box!" The inflection in Myka's voice told Helena this was something to be excited about and she could only assume it held fond memories for her spouse.

"Thank you, Myka. I will enjoy this," the Brit said, taking it and looking at it. "It has a person on it."

"Katniss Evergreen! From _Hunger Games_ ," Myka explained.

"How apropos," her wife responded.

"I was going to get _Wonder Woman_ , but I have issues with the way she's dressed. They were out of the Madam Curie ones," Myka teased.

"She's shooting an arrow," Helena observed. "Makes it sound as if getting lunch is rather a sport."

"It can be in high school," Myka said, remembering how the social hierarchy of the cafeteria worked.

"Well, this will remind me of the one you have shot at my heart," Helena said, expressing her gratitude in a kiss.

"Do you have everything you need? Pencils? Notebooks?" Myka laughed because all these memories of school were flooding her mind. Some of them were Myka's worst and she suddenly found herself projecting and warning Helena - "Maybe just leave this in the car. I mean, I don't want anyone….thinking …uhm…you're not serious."

Helena read it immediately from the expression on Myka's face. Myka's eyes reflected the angst she experienced from times when her peers were less than kind. Helena wished she could protect Myka from the past. "Pete tells me I can be as serious as a New York heart attack," Helena assured her, but mixing up the idioms.

"Well, okay then," Myka said, straightening out Helena's coat lapels even though they didn't need it. She held onto them and pulled her in to kiss her. "Have fun!" she said, but Helena could easily detect that Myka didn't associate anything fun with high school.

"I will be back before you know it," Helena assured her and added, "I do hope your students are better behaved."

"What? Oh yes, very mature," she said, unsure how true that was.

Helena's schooling had been private tutors up until she went to college and took very few courses. The bullies in Helena's past were often the headmasters who laughed when she said she wanted to take math and science courses. She kissed Myka goodbye and went outside, lunchbox in hand. Myka peeked out the window and watched her wife approach the car. If there was one thing that she enjoyed almost as much as being with Helena, it was watching Helena. This was why she was going to surprise her and go to the school on her own.

Myka loved to watch people's reactions to being in the same space as Helena.

* * *

Outside, Pete held the car door opened for his boss. "Cool lunchbox," he said, noticing it right away.

"From Myka," Helena beamed as she got in the car.

"Good morning, Helena," Irene said, smiling from the seat next to her.

"Irene?" Helena said, surprised that she was there. "You do know where I'm going?" .

"Of course I do. I brought you this. You're going to need it," the older woman said, presenting Helena with a thermos.

"You made me tea?" Helena asked, staring at the object, but not accepting it.

"I don't have time for that," Irene gently scolded her. "We stopped at Ms. Sullivan's before we came," she smiled.

Helena took the thermos quickly and opened it. "That was very thoughtful."

"Yes, I know," Irene said and didn't look at Helena's staring back at her. "Enjoy it."

"Were you worried I might not play well with the other children?" Helena laughed.

"The thought did cross my mind," Irene said. She wasn't exactly sure what possessed her to change her schedule and join Helena. Perhaps it was to reassure the Brit that she would always have time for her. Or maybe, it was to reassure Irene that Helena would always need her. She dismissed both nagging thoughts and decided to just go ahead and be there in the car.

"I get the impression that few people are fond of their academic years," the Time Traveler noted. "I imagine yours are too distant to recall, so I'll ask Mr. Lattimer." Helena didn't flinch when Irene gently slapped her hand for that snide remark.

"High school? Some of the best years of my life," Pete said back. "Of course, if you're not popular, not good looking, or if you're uncool, yeah it can be pretty tough on you."

Helena couldn't imagine Myka falling into any of those categories. "Myka seems to have some hesitation about her experiences," she said to Irene.

"Oh, well, it's a time of adolescence when boys and girls are coming into themselves and some of us have bumpier rides getting there," Irene shared.

Helena listened carefully.

"Do you think people were unpleasant to Myka?" Helena asked sincerely.

Irene looked at her and had to remind herself that of course Helena couldn't know this from personal experience. "I imagine Myka was smart enough to stay away from anyone who might give her trouble."

The answer didn't really satisfy the inquiring woman. "What do you think, Pete?" Helena asked.

"Well, Myka was really smart, good looking, and she did play a sport, so she probably wasn't bothered much," Pete decided.

Helena nodded her head and turned to look at the window to consider this information. She agreed with Pete's assessment, yet she couldn't shake the feeling of Myka's anxiety. There was only one thing to do. "I want a list of everyone who Myka went to high school with," the executive requested.

Irene looked up from her paper to see if she heard correctly. "Why?" she asked bravely.

"I'm going to ask Myka if anyone gave her a hard time and when she tells me their names, I want to be able to know who we're talking about," Helena said, having thought hard about the matter.

"Then we'll track them down and …..?" Irene asked, waiting for Helena to fill in the blank.

"Don't be ridiculous," Helena rebuked her, looking out the window again. Just as Irene let out a sigh of relief, the Brit answered: "We'll make them come to New York."

Pete tried not to laugh at his boss' badassery, but he the harder he tried to hold it in, the more he snorted.

"Don't encourage her, Mr. Lattimer," Irene warned him.

* * *

The high school Helena was to appear at was a half hour away and by 7:15, she was walking inside. Helena was greeted by the Administration staff and they thanked her profusely for coming. Helena nodded, but grimaced when the noise was so loud in the hallway, she could hardly hear them.

"Is it always this noisy?" she asked them. She was met by blank stares. Surely she remembered what high school was like, they all thought.

"Perhaps Ms. Wells could go to the area for the assembly?" Irene asked making herself indispensable as usual.

The group started to walk down the hallway through the crowd of students who were at their lockers getting ready for the day. When they saw Helena, they instantly knew who she was and many of them simply turned to stare. Helena smiled and said hello and for the most part, she observed their behaviors. She noticed the girls with too much make-up, the boys with broad builds in athletic gear, the kids who reminded her of Eileen, and those who dressed more like Claudia. None of them appeared to be suffering, she thought.

The principal escorted them into the auditorium where Ted Grayson was already setting up on stage. There were a row of chairs aligned behind a long table.

"Oh, thank God," he said when he saw his fellow presenter. He greeted Helena like a soldier greeting the reinforcements. "Glad you made it, Wells!"

"We'll see about that," Helena commented and he showed her where to sit.

"Now, remember, the whole point of this assembly is to motivate the children to consider careers in business," the Principal reminded the panel.

"And if they want to be artists?" Helena asked because she didn't believe that was the point of the talk.

"We'll have artists to come in and talk about that," the overwhelmed administrator replied.

The Mayor may have been taking credit for the spearheading the whole program, but it was the administrative staffs that were left to deal with the details.

"Let me show you how it's done," Ted said, regaining his confidence now that the crowd wouldn't need to start chanting Helena's name.

Helena looked at Irene who wore her ' _try to be patient'_ expression. Then Helena took her seat and placed her newly acquired lunchbox on the table.

"What the hell is that?" Ted asked, amused.

"It's my lunchbox," the Brit said proudly. "It has a juice box."

"I know what it is, but…oh, never mind," her co-speaker said as the kids piled into the auditorium.

The panel was introduced and Ted tried not to show his annoyance with the thunderous applause Helena received. He went first and started his PowerPoint presentation about the exciting field of biotechnology which quickly put a majority of the kids to sleep.

It was time for Helena to do what she did best – be large and take charge.

"If I could interrupt for a moment, Ted," Helena said, standing up and taking the microphone from him. He stammered at the disruption, but had not choice as Helena relieved him of the device and proceeded to go down the steps and stand in front of the stage. There was a second round of applause.

"Please forgive my colleague," she started. "You see, we spend so much time doing what we do, we sometimes forget how to make it exciting."

Students, who had been slouching in their seats, or on the cell phones, now sat up and took notice. Myka quietly slipped into the back of the auditorium undetected and took a seat just in time to see Helena start.

"First, let me just say that anyone who would rather be somewhere else, is free to leave," the CEO began and the only one to protest was the Principal, but no one moved.

"Great. Now, why am I here and what is it that I can share with you that will make this a meaningful experience?" Helena began.

"Get us a day off!" someone shouted from the back and everyone laughed.

"Ah," Helena smiled. "I have a great deal of influence, but I dare say, not even I could do that."

Irene was sitting in the front row with the Principal and his staff. She smiled nervously at him, grateful Helena didn't take the student up on his request. Myka, in the meantime, settled back into the auditorium seat, eyes locked on her wife.

"Here is what I can share with you that might help you survive what I have come to understand can be trying times. _Do what you want_ ," Helena stated and the crowd cheered.

"That's not good," the administrator said and was about to get up, when Irene put her hand on his arm.

"Of course, if you intend to come work for a firm like mine, and let's face it, darlings, why wouldn't you?" Helena teased them, "…then you better be able to demonstrate what you have accomplished. And you will only be able to do that if you follow your passion and do the work."

"Easy for you to say," a student called out from the side row and the crowd murmured ' _oooohhhh'_ in response.

"And she thought it would be easy," Ted said to the guest speaker next to him.

"I did not find my passion because I was rich. I became rich because I found what I loved to do. That, and I wouldn't take no for an answer," Helena responded and walked up the aisle. "You will be told you can't do things. Don't believe them. You will be told it's not possible. Make it possible. Don't wait for someone to hand it to you. Find out what your skills are and make that work in your favor."

Two girls sitting in front of Myka, whose passion was texting on their phones and were otherwise occupied, suddenly found themselves being tapped on the shoulders. "Pay attention!" Myka heard herself whispering sharply, looking very much the part of a stern teacher. The girls turned back and put their phones down.

No one was going to ignore Helena!

Helena continued to talk about her profession and opened it up to questions. A discussion about what it takes to succeed in any job ensued and Myka was lost in watching the students interact with Helena. This was Helena at her best; engaging, charming and witty and Myka let out more than one long sigh as she gazed lovingly from the back row. As hard as Helena tried to defer a question here and there to the other panel members, including Ted, the students insisted on reverting back to the star guest.

Someone asked what it would take to get a job at Wells Corp and Helena said that her ideal candidate was someone who came to work every day with a positive attitude and who went above and beyond their duties, even if no one knew it. "I am fortunate to work with some of the most qualified people who know how to make us successful," she said and looked directly at Irene and Pete.

When someone asked if she could ever leave Wells Corp, Helena warned them not to become complacent and to understand that change was an inevitable part of building their dreams.

Myka looked out on the crowd of excited students who were actually getting a chance to talk to the legendary business woman. Finally, Helena closed the talk and everyone stood up to applaud.

As the crowd of students moved in mass toward the stage to get a selfie with Helena, Myka noticed one person going in the opposite direction in quick fashion. The man looked as if he were trying to get out unnoticed because he kept his head lowered and seemed to be talking into this wrist.

And the really perplexing thing to Myka was – he looked oddly familiar to her.


	11. That's What Friends Are For

**That's What Friends Are For**

Irene leaned over to Pete in the front row and told him that Myka was there. He turned around, but couldn't see her in the crowd. "How do you know….?" he asked, straining his neck to see.

"I just know," the HR Director stated assuredly. She didn't need to turn around to know. All she had to do was watch the change in Helena's expression when _she_ saw Myka.

Pete hustled towards his boss to make sure the crowd didn't get out of hand. One of the teenagers whispered - ' _That is her bodyguard'_ –and her friend answered that – ' _He's cute_!' Pete puffed his chest out even farther as he asked people nicely to keep their distance. Helena was unaware of any of this; her eyes were locked on her wife who stood at the edge of the crowd. Myka smiled back, while students and teachers tried to talk to Helena.

"What motivates you to do your best every day?" a teacher asked, hoping that the CEO's words of wisdom would inspire the students.

Helena listened to the question, smiled with a knowing expression, and then turned, her adoring eyes falling on Myka. "She does," Helena said and then people turned to see Myka there. The students' eyes darted between the women, as the couple's gazing filled the space between them. No one dared break it.

There was a collective ' _aww'_ from the crowd. Helena walked to Myka and kissed her. Much to Ted's chagrin - even that got more applause than he did.

"Hello, you," Helena said, to which Myka responded in kind; "Hello, you." "I'm so pleased you came," Helena said, always happy to have Myka with her.

"I love watching people watching you," Myka confessed and bit her lip over admitting the guilty pleasure.

"Well, I love watching you watching them watching me," Helena cooed.

"Huh?" Pete asked, unable to keep up with the exchange.

Students pushed forward to ask the couple to take pictures and they obliged. Myka loved that Helena was so at ease with the youths, making jokes and charming them. Helena watched as people asked Myka for her autograph and how surprised she seemed, even though it happened all the time.

Finally, it was time for school to start. Helena took Myka's hand, pulled her in as they walked together to the car.

So caught up in seeing her wife shine, Myka forgot all about the stranger who looked familiar.

* * *

"DON'T TOUCH THAT!" Claudia uncharacteristically yelled at Steve. He immediately withdrew his hand from the odd looking object. After dropping Myka off at the school, he returned to work. He went to ask his best friend if she wanted to grab lunch when he stopped into her office.

Only after providing three pieces of information that only he would know, did Claudia let him in.

"You couldn't identify me by my voice?" he asked, sitting on a swivel stool and moving in half circles. He was hungry.

"I had to be careful. Never mind, don't touch," she reminded him.

"I thought you and Helena came up with the proposal strategy?" he asked, leaning over to get a closer look at what she was doing. She was decked out in safety goggles as she used a soldering iron to put the finishing touches on her creation.

"Yeah, we did." She put the device down and stood back. "Now say _– I will_ ," she whispered to her friend.

"I will what?" Steve asked back because simple instructions evaded him.

"No. Just say- _I will_ ….," she said again in a hushed tone.

 _Steve and Claudia had been best friends forever, partly because no one settled the tech genius quite like he did and no one could get under her skin faster than most._ "You will…," he said and drew himself back in a ball when she hit his arm.

"Not me, you!" she gritted her teeth.

"Not you, me," he said, laughing and finally could see she was too close to the edge. When she told him that Helena had discussed the plan and even called Tim Cook, he foolishly assumed that the techie would be calm about the plan now. _Silly Steve._

"Okay, I'm sorry. Let's start over," he said clearing his throat and speaking loudly. "I will."

Nothing happened. Claudia ripped the safety glasses off and threw them on the table. "UGH!"

"What? What was supposed to happen?" Steve asked and Claudia just grunted in disgust.

"Poof!" she said and he had to really think hard about what that might mean. He had become something of an expert in _Claudia-ese_ and could guess most of her incomplete sentences.

"The machine was supposed to? He guessed and saw the ' _duh_!' look on the inventor's face. "Of course it was. Okay, is the volume set right?" he asked.

Claudia snapped her fingers and smiled and Steve felt safe for a minute. "Yes, that's it. The modulator is off," she said, twisting something on the boxy object on the table. "Now," she said and waved her hand at him to repeat himself.

"I will," he said on cue and this time there was a loud fizzing sound from the machine right before an explosion of confetti shot out in plumes.

Steve sat there – slightly surprised and heavily covered in multicolored paper.

"Too much?" the techie asked, her teeth biting her lower lip.

"Naah," her friend said, puffing out air to get the confetti out of his mouth.

"It is!" Claudia wailed. "It's too much!"

Steve knew that Claudia detested whining of any kind and had to be near tears for it to seep through her voice. "Now listen to me," he said, spitting out the last of the tiny paper caught on his lip. He turned Claudia to look at him. "We can make ….this work," he said even though he wasn't quite sure what it was they were doing.

"We can?" Claudia asked in a helpless tone so unfamiliar to him that he had to take a minute.

"Yes, yes, we can," he reiterated. Then he turned and looked at the expectorating robot. "Now, it might help me if I understood, you know, what …uhm….the purpose might be," he pointed out gingerly.

Now in a calmer state, the techie was able to speak slightly more cohesively. "Well, since Helena was kind enough to get me the Apple Store for when I ask Eileen, I thought I could have a little tech help when she says _yes_ ," Claudia explained and then heard her words. The color drained from her face as she reached out and grabbed both of Steve's forearms tightly. "You don't think she'll say no, do you? Is that why you don't want me to use this? That's it, right? You think she might say no!"

He had to reach out to grab his friend having a meltdown right there. "Claudia! Claud, listen to me," he said, and had to shake her a little. "I do not think that. I think she's the luckiest girl in the world and I think she knows that." He said it simply, plainly, and as slowly as he could.

"Really?" Claudia asked, now able to hear how sincere those sweet words were.

"Yes, I really do," he said, nodding his head up and down to make sure she was getting it.

Only then, did she notice that more confetti was falling out of his hair and she got hysterical. "Maybe I could lower the firing power?" she laughed and the color returned to her cheeks.

"You think?" he said, shaking his head and letting more fall while the two friends got hysterical. "What exactly…..?" he bravely asked when he looked around, "…..were you planning?"

The fact that the tech wizard's plan wasn't abundantly clear caused the doubt to shake her all over again. "I don't know what I'm doing! I'm going to screw it up. In the middle of a fraking Apple store, I'm going to mess this up!" she wailed and lowered her head.

Steve quickly looked around, begging God to give him some insight into what the plan was. "What about….," he said slowly hoping his idea would form as he spoke. "You have her look at the new models and when she opens it up, we'll have the story of your relationship on it….," he hesitated as he thought on his feet.

"And the last one will be of a ring and when she turns around, I'll ask her!" Claudia said.

"Bloody brilliant!" Steve said in his best _Helena_ imitation.

Claudia beamed, but the smile quickly faded as the nagging doubt persisted. "Suppose I'm not…," but he cut her off.

"Don't you dare, Claudia Clare Donovan!" he said sternly and it was only the second time in their years together that he used her middle name, another forbidden condition of their friendship.

"But…," the techie said, unable to really believe the woman she thought was perfect would spend the rest of her life with her.

"You've got to get ahold of yourself, Claud. She's crazy about you. Everyone can see that! Can't you? Steve said a mixture of surprise and firmness. He had never seen his friend so insecure.

"No, I know," Claudia said, knowing in her heart how Eileen felt. "I just want to be.."

"You are, Claud. I swear to you, you are," Steve assured her. She looked at how earnest he was and spontaneously hugged him. Within seconds, the feelings started to break through and she fought like hell to put them all back.

"Okay, then….I'll just, you know, work on something….to play …..on the …..you know, laptop," the techie said, shoving her hands back in her pockets and clearing her throat, putting distance between them.

"Yeah, everything's cool, okay?" Steve said, knowing exactly when Claudia needed to back off. "Let me know if you need…..help," he said from the doorway.

"Sure," Claudia answered quickly and then added – "Hey, Steve. Thanks, you know, for all of this," she said sweeping the air.

"No problem," Steve said, smiling back because he wanted to be the epitome of calmness. He knew one slipup could cause his fragile friend to lose it all over again.

Claudia smiled to think what a great pal Steve was and how she was going to ask him to be her Best Man – _IF_ – Eileen said yes. That started the anxiety to rise again and Claudia grabbed the table. This was so unlike her and she knew it. She had to get a grip!

"Now Claudia," she said, starting to speak to herself, "Let's take this one step at a time."

She sat down at the table and opened her laptop. _What did she think of when she thought of Eileen_? A warm, fuzzy feeling immediately came over her. Now all she had to do was put that into something visual, she thought, as she lowered her head onto the table.

Then she thought of something.

"I _will_ figure this out," she said confidently to encourage herself. "I _will_!" she said emphatically.

The next thing she knew, she was covered in….. confetti.


	12. Sheep in Wolves' Clothing

**I do hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season.**

 **Many thanks for your continued support and Welcome Aboard to our new readers. Thanks for joining us.**

 **Cheers!  
**

* * *

 **Sheep in Wolves' Clothing**

The students were handed the _Wells Challenge_ packet before they left. They were asked to come up with a well thought out proposal of how they would market the latest Wells invention – a robot for the home. Helena promised that she would send one of her brightest colleagues back in six weeks to assess each proposal and award a scholarship. Not to be outdone, Ted – who was totally surprised by the gesture – offered to install a coffee vending machine.

Ted was _so_ outdone.

Helena, who would typically have taken the time to show Ted the error of his ways, smiled and shook her head. She was holding Myka's hand and nothing could distract her from the warm feeling she had from having Myka by her side. The couple passed back through the crowded hallway as students changed classes. That's when Helena felt it; a definite change in Myka's mood. She glanced to see where Myka was looking and it seemed to be on the heavily made up youth in designer clothes, carrying the expensive handbag. Myka had stopped to watch how the students surrounding her reminded her of herself – narrow shouldered girls dressed conservatively, bespectacled and less graceful. Myka was expecting the cheerleader archetype to disparage the studious girls, as was her own experience. But instead, Myka watched as the academic types taunted the stylish beauty and suggested that she not even both to attempt the _Wells Challenge_. "It takes a certain _quotient intellectual_ ," the student taunted the girl in French, who, much to Myka's amazement - cowered. Things certainly had changed since she was in high school, but she didn't like it any better.

Helena knew enough to understand that Myka was uncomfortable with what they were witnessing. Confused by the exchange, though, she was uncertain what would make Myka feel better. She assessed correctly that Myka would identify with the scholarly students, but was unsure of what had Myka so upset. Within seconds, Helena was being tugged in the direction of the girls. She needn't do a thing – Myka was going to handle this.

"I'd like to point out," Myka said, reaching through the small crowd and taking the cheerleader by the elbow to pull her closer and away from the group. "Everyone has a chance at this competition. It is not only an intellectual challenge, but one to evoke your creativity and ability to work in a team. Wells Corp is all about _cohesive teamwork_ ," Myka said in a warning tone.

The girls, who had been teasing their fellow student, sucked their teeth and rolled their eyes. "Yeah, whatever," the leader said dismissively. _That_ caught Helena's attention and before Myka could stop her; she was in the leader's face. Helena was used to aggressively making her point – but that was with adults. Not only was the offender a youth, she hardly looked the part. Nonetheless, this was Helena defending her woman's honor – something the Brit excelled at.

Before the girl had finished her eye roll, Helena was there. "You will apologize to Ms. Bering right now…," Helena growled in a low tone. Students stopped mid step and turned to stare. Phones shot out to record it and Pete didn't know where to turn to stop it, there were so many.

The cavalier youth was about to dismiss the threat when she caught sight of Helena's dark, menacing orbs staring down at her. The twinkling dark eyes that had been so warm and friendly in the auditorium were now transformed into pools of promising injury.

"You…can't…threaten….," the girl's inaudible voice cracked.

Helena's lips curled up, giving the false impression of a smile so that it looked as if the encounter was, in fact, a friendly one. She even touched the girl's arm gently. "This is no _threat_ ," Helena promised through that carefully placed smile.

Nothing about that intimidating stare that locked onto the troublemaker conveyed that Helena would back off. Helena could hear that not one of the girls in the group had inhaled or exhaled. She liked that.

"Sorry, Ms. Bering," the girl uttered and although Myka nodded her acknowledgement, Helena raised her eyebrows indicating more. "For….being….rude," the youth asked more than stated.

"Well, we can't expect too much," Helena remarked sarcastically. "Go," she said and the four girls pushed their way through the crowd.

Helena had learned a long time ago how to appear calm and nonthreatening when she was delivering a promise of trouble. There wasn't one cell phone that recorded anything to the contrary and besides, after Pete texted Claudia, there wasn't one recording that wasn't deleted or scrambled.

While Helena was protecting Myka, the Wellsians were protecting Helena.

Helena rejoined Myka after informing the Principal that their zero tolerance bullying program was sorely lacking in the educational portion.

* * *

"Why do people bully?" Myka said out loud when they were all back in the car. She was still amazed at how the social order may have changed, but the behavior remained the same.

"Social dominance," Pete volunteered from the driver's seat.

"Well, I think the parents might have a lot to do with it," the resident parent and HR expert offered.

"Parents? What do the bloody parents have to do with it?" Helena said as if she were offended for all parents.

"Parents are role models," Irene said, taking the time to turn around from the passenger seat to look directly at her boss.

In that momentary stare, the message that Irene was cautioning Helena that her behavior would one day be a big influence in her child's life was delivered. Helena's head turned quickly to see if Myka was seeing what the older woman was doing, but unfortunately, Myka was staring out the window. Helena had no choice but to defend herself. "I…know…that!" she weakly retorted. Irene nodded her head and faced forward. _How did Myka always miss this woman's sly messages_? Then Helena focused her attention back on Myka. There was a myriad of emotions going on inside her wife and Helena sensed them. She slid her hand over Myka's lap and took her hand.

Myka continued to stare out the window as she thought about what happened and felt the emotions the event had provoked. She remembered being surrounded by a group of Alpha girls and told, in no uncertain terms, that she wasn't pretty enough, nor was she dressed well enough, to go out with any boy at Cheyenne Mountain High School. If she had thought about it any harder, the entire image would have played out in Helena's own mind telepathically. Myka stopped herself from thinking of it and turned to Helena.

"Some people are just mean," she offered as her own explanation.

Helena thought she understood most human emotions, either personally or at the very least, scientifically. But when they charged at her through her _Oneness_ with Myka, they were too raw to fully grasp.

That didn't stop Helena from acting.

As Pete held the car door open for her when they arrived at the office, she put her hand on his firmly. "I want that list of Myka's high school chums today," she said in a low tone.

Pete stared at her and then looked over at Irene and Myka who were slowly walking towards the building. He wasn't sure either would endorse this request. "O…kay," he said slowly. "But boss?" he added as Helena started towards the building. "No one says ' _chums'_ …..you know, anymore."

"Duly noted," Helena said, happy to be putting her plan in place.

* * *

Myka was glad to be back on her own turf at Wells Corp. She was even looking forward to her class with the first year law students. All the emotions that revisiting high school provoked in Myka now lay dormant as Helena rode the elevator with her.

"I had no idea that my day would be laden with students," Helena said as they walked towards the lecture hall, specifically built so Myka could teach at Wells.

"Well, I hope you'll behave in this class," Myka teased as her words brushed up against Helena's ear. "I hear she's very tough."

Helena immediately scoffed. "I haven't met a teacher I can't charm," she responded and Myka laughed out loud.

"You, Mrs. Bering-Wells, haven't met the _person_ you aren't able to charm."

Helena came as close to blushing as she could given that the statement was correct. Then, she waited for Myka to walk into the classroom which was filling up with students. Helena looked inside and wondered what it would have been like had she had the opportunity to attend university like her brother. She protested enough until she was allowed to take a class here and there. Often though, it had disastrous results because the Genius often fought vehemently with the professors over doctrine or substance. She was especially irate in the science classes where she found many of their theories and methods antiquated. This was in spite of the fact that many of them were on the cutting edge of the technologies of the day. Helena's father was informed that she was simply too irascible for the academic environment and was summarily dismissed. Years later, when she built the very first rocket, she entertained the thought briefly of launching in the direction of the campus. She decided against it out of fear of hurting innocent people.

The buzz of the students, most of whom knew immediately who she was, filled the air and Myka had to call them a couple of times to get their attention. Helena walked slowly to the back of the class – afraid that her presence up front would be distracting.

As if distance could subdue her beauty.

Myka smiled, but put her eyes down on her IPad so that she could gather her thoughts. Helena chose her seat in the last row, because it provided the clearest view of the object of her affection. She was only a little perturbed when two male students sat down in the seats right in front of her.

Helena sat erect in her seat as she watched Myka push up the sleeves on her dress, move in front of the podium and begin the lesson. How privileged, Helena thought, these students were to have Myka as their teacher. She was so intelligent and well spoken; she was interesting and gave examples to explain the concepts of corporate law. How could _anyone_ not have their eyes glued to her? Well, as it turned out, the two students in front of Helena seemed more interested in the video on one of their phones. Helena cleared her throat softly behind them to get their attention. They didn't hear her. Myka continued her discussion and engaged the students who had questions. _Surely, these two were missing out on a lot of the important information._

A heated debate was taking place over whether corporations had moral obligations or only legal obligations and Helena was awed by how her wife handled each side, allowing them to state their position and reminding them that derision was not an option in her class. "You will need many skills as a lawyer, but ridiculing the opposing counsel isn't one of them. Go after the facts, not your opponent. Then, take action," she told them.

Helena sat there in awe of how wonderful a teacher her wife was. The CEO was certain these students were among the most fortunate to have gotten into Myka's class. This is why she couldn't understand how the two sitting in front of her were still not paying attention. Helena leaned forward and asked – "There's a great deal of important information being disseminated by your teacher. Do you not feel compelled to listen and participate?" If wasn't just the fact that the teacher was Myka, but also that Helena couldn't comprehend how anyone would be so blasé about the opportunity afforded them to learn.

They glanced only slightly back when one responded for both – making it seem as if they had discussed it many times – "The only thing we feel _compelled_ to do is to dream of what it would be like to grab that ….."

The response was visceral. The loud debate in the front of the room muffled the sound of two heads being banged together as Helena grabbed them from behind. Then she – not so gently – applied pressure to their necks, helping them both fall into temporary unconscious states.

The class was over and the students applauded their teacher – for yet another exciting and thought provoking class. Helena watched as Myka blushed and thanked them as the line formed to leave the auditorium. Helena walked slowly down the steps to the front of the class.

"Ms. Bering?" Helena asked in a playful tone when the room was almost empty. "I was wondering if you could go over some of those ...things ….you were talking about. I think I might be in need of …..some _private_ tutoring," Helena said, slowly running her finger across the podium where Myka gathered her things.

"Really Ms. Wells? What concepts did you have trouble with?" Myka asked, playing along because she was certain they were alone.

"I think the issue of corporate propriety was particularly challenging. Could I perhaps come by your office and we could discuss the …lack of propriety …..in particular …of some corporate CEO's?" Helena proposed.

"You want to meet me? In my office? And go over the ….," Myka repeated.

"Lack of propriety….," Helena supplied.

"The lack of propriety among some CEO's?" Myka asked again.

"Total lack …yes," Helena answered, uncertain she could wait until then. The thought of seducing her teacher was more titillating to Helena than she realized and she forgot all about the two students – still unconscious – in the back of the room.

"Oh, I think that could be arranged," Myka said, putting her arm around Helena and letting it slip down until she cupped her derriere.

"Ms. Bering! You wouldn't be trying to take advantage of one of your students, would you?" Helena said, feigning surprise.

"I would never ….," Myka teased and then heard moaning approaching them.

The two men, finally awake with heads throbbing, walked down the steps to the front of the classroom. Holding their heads and with awkward gaits, the two left without ever looking at the couple. Helena was certain Myka was going to question what happened and worried it would interrupt the playful mood when she confessed. Myka turned and looked at Helena quizzically, which immediately prompted Helena to say; "I think….I …can…..explain."

But she didn't have to.

"That's very odd," Myka said, with a confused look on her face.

"Well, they probably…..," Helena laughed nervously, wondering which explanation would cause the least amount of disruptions.

"Must be new students," Myka finished her thought.

"Sorry?" Helena blurted out, but wasn't at all.

"I've never seen those two students before," Myka said because of course she knew every face in her class.

"Oohhh," Helena said, wondering if that explained why they seemed so inattentive. "Now, where were we?" she asked as she put Myka's hand back where it had been. "Oh, yes…."

* * *

"Bloody hell!" the faux student complained as he felt the swelling on the side of his head.

"It's alright, Henry, just a bump," the man said after the two entered the van that was parked on a side street.

"Easy for you to say! We're the ones who got our heads knocked together," the other man complained, rubbing his neck from where he had been assaulted.

"I warned you that this was a dangerous assignment," their boss explained. "But we got what we wanted."

"We got what you wanted. You head isn't throbbing," one of the men pointed out.

"A little suffering is a small price to pay to find out what we needed to know," the man explained.

"What? That she's still crazy?" the injured men asked.

"No, that Agent Wells is _still_ terribly impulsive. We were counting on that," their boss explained as he told the driver to leave.


	13. Private Lessons

**Hello! I know there are some loose ends that people are wondering about, and I hope to devote the next chapter (or the one after that) to tying up some of them (Who the strangers are, what do they want, Claudia and Eileen).**

 **Many thanks to everyone reading along and to those who shared your posts. Always appreciate you taking the time and, of course, your input.**

 **Cheers.**

* * *

 **Private Lessons**

Helena played nonchalantly with the button on her blouse as she and Myka walked to the elevator. Once a playful game was started, the Brit liked to see it through. She turned to her wife, leaning over just a bit to make sure Myka could get the view she wanted, and said in a breathy tone; "I do hope you'll have time to give me some ….privates lessons, Professor Bering."

In spite of how nervous Helena's public display of …well, _anything_ , made Myka, her reaction was always a mix of exhilaration and fear of being caught. ' _THIS_!' she thought to herself, - ' _is what being one of the cool kids must have been like'._

"Ms. Wells," she said, playing along as the elevator door opened and they got in, - "….are you _trying_ to seduce me?" Myka's borrowed famous line was barely above a whisper as she also prayed no one was within earshot. There wasn't a question that Myka could ask that Helena didn't match with a quick retort.

"Oh, Professor…..," she said, purposely staring innocently at Myka, "….I'm not …. _trying_ to seduce you. I _am_ seducing you." Helena had taken Myka's index finger and now ran it down the length of her neck to her cleavage. She giggled as she watched Myka's pupils dilate instantly.

While such seductive banter came naturally to Helena, it sometimes slowed Myka down to a crawl. On any given day, if Myka hoped to hold her own, she had to really be on her game to match Helena's forte.

Today wasn't one of those days.

Helena savored the delicious torture she witnessed her wife going through. Myka's eyes couldn't pull away from the spot where her finger had trailed and her mouth was opened, but no sound came out. Myka was caught in the tantalizing web of seduction and Helena reveled in it. She knew very well how wonderful it felt.

"I…will…(swallows)….see…(clears throat)…you….uhm.….(forgets how to form complete sentences)….." Myka stammered.

"Later?" Helena guessed correctly.

"Yes," Myka said, nodding her head and keeping her gaze on the objects of her desire.

"I look forward to it," Helena said, smiling as the doors opened on Myka's floor. "Will you be okay; Professor Bering ….or would you like me to come to your office now?"

There was nothing that caused Helena to refrain from keeping the charade up, even the presence of people who now stood outside the elevator. Myka could feel the weight of their stare. She had lost this round and her wife knew it. But Myka's brain – bright as she was – had trouble recovering from such intense distraction. She attributed this to the lack of blood available for cogent thought – as it surged to other parts of her body. "Yes," she coughed, trying to appear business like and serious – two things very hard to do with Helena smirking victory at her.

"Ms. Bering?" Millie said, rushing up to her boss' side. One look at the woman's expression told her everything she wanted to know. "Oh, sorry. Do you ….?" She started to ask as she tilted her head towards Helena. "…you know, want to finish?"

That was icing on the cake for Helena who was now laughing out loud.

"What?" Myka asked, shocked that the tete a tete was so transparent.

"I'll just wait…," Millie said, very nonchalantly and walked back to her desk.

Ordinarily, an elevator door would beep if it were kept open this long, but ever since Helena _warned_ …well, more like _threatened_ the stationary engineers, hers didn't.

"Darling, do not be surprised. Our love is apparent to the world," Helena said softly, easing Myka's mind. It made Myka smile.

Being bold pushed Myka right out of her comfort zone, but nothing was more soothing than Helena's assurances. Still, the blush in Myka's face remained for a long time.

"I'll see you soon," she smiled to Helena.

"Don't be a stranger," Helena said and that's when her wife remembered that she wanted to tell her about the man in the high school auditorium. She stood there deep in thought as the elevator door closed.

" _Where do I know him from_?" Myka said out loud, trying to place the stranger's face.

* * *

Helena was just happy not to have to explain why the two ' _new'_ students in Myka's class left in a daze. She was perfectly within her right, she told herself on the way to her office, to defend Myka.

The epitome of Helena's conscience was standing right there when the elevator door opened. Irene Frederic was on her way back to her own office when Helena misinterpreted her reason for being there.

"And I would do it again!" Helena stated vehemently to Irene who stared for a second and then nodded her head.

"Of course you would, dear," Irene said, getting back on the elevator as if she had been privy to the inner machinations of Helena's mind. "Oh, Helena, do you want me to ….," Irene asked remembering why she was there.

"I certainly do not! I am more than capable…," Helena protested, giving away her guilt.

"Okay then," Irene said, as the door closed. She was late for a meeting.

If Helena had given the exchange any thought, she would have realized that Irene hadn't really asked, nor accused her of anything and therefore, the answer was unnecessary. But Helena wasn't thinking about that. She was thinking of how she could get through the work day without being completely distracted by her wife.

Helena walked to the reception area desk for her messages. She looked at the hand handing her the papers and pulled back. She took a deep breath and sighed. She was all for Sui learning life through the lens of different human forms, but she had asked for him to let her know when it was going to happen.

"If you wanted to know what life was like for a septuagenarian, Mr. Generis, I daresay you could have just asked Mrs. Frederic," Helena said, laughing at her own joke.

"I beg your pardon?" the woman said, slightly surprised the CEO of a company would be so bold as to mention age.

Helena looked at the entity. "How did you get the exoskeleton material to wrinkle like that?" she asked, walking around the desk and staring down into the face of the woman who was wide eyed. Helena reached out and rubbed the furrowed cheek.

"What are you…?" the woman asked, but was interrupted.

"Are you wearing those dreadfully thick lenses because you've adjusted you eyesight to match the decaying process of the body?" Helena asked and then saw what appeared like tears welling in the grayish eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, thinking Sui's emotional response program was set to hypersensitive. "I should have said _aging_. Either way, bravo! But let's make this a quick rendezvous with old age, Mr. Generis. We have a lot of work to do."

With that, the stunned woman watched as the callous CEO walked into her office. Only that morning, Mrs. Frederic had asked her if she was available for a temp assignment with the Executive, and warned her it could be challenging work. She thought Irene meant that Helena was demanding, not insensitive. Within minutes, she told Irene the story and refused to work with someone who was so heartless!

Irene could not fathom Helena being that unsympathetic and set out to find out what had happened.

"I don't mind that she can't pronounce a simple name like Sue," the woman said to Irene when she was explaining what was going on. Of course, because Helena thought it was her android in transformation, she called the woman "Sui".

"Sue, I promise you, Ms. Wells had no idea. She thought you were …..You see, Mr. Generis ….," Irene started and then didn't know where to go with it. Not everyone in the company knew of Sui's origins.

"He likes to dress up as a woman?" Sue asked because what other explanation could there be.

"He enjoys…," Irene hesitated, thinking on her feet. "….exploring life through various ….personas," she finally decided on.

"And Helena thought he was dressed up as me?" Sue asked, trying to put this together.

"He's very good… with make-up," Irene said, convincingly.

If anyone else gave Sue this explanation, she wouldn't have believed it. But she believed Irene Frederic. "I still think she should apologize for her choice of words. She described me as…..," the woman tried to share, but tears welled up again …."Decaying."

"Oh, Sue, I am sorry. Ms. Wells is …a …..scientist at heart and I fear she sees you….. _us_ ….in biomedical terms," Irene laughed nervously.

There weren't enough hours in the day for the paperwork she'd have to complete if Sue decided to sue.

"Let me talk to her and ….I'm sure we can straighten this right out," Irene said as she walked quickly into Helena's office and closed the door. She even picked up Helena's coat on the way over to her desk.

"This is my entire fault," Irene blurted out because she should never have taken Helena at her word not to introduce them.

"Oh, I'm sure it is," Helena agreed, without even looking out. She never missed an opportunity of something being Irene's fault.

"I should have warned you," Irene said, taking a seat.

"What you should have done was remind Mr. Generis that I do not like to be surprised by his _persona non grata_ ," Helena said and the raised her head to laugh at her own pun. "I guess it is important to see how life treats the elderly, but as I explained to him, he has such a wonderful resource in you for that," Helena poked her friend. This time, Helena's laugh was even heartier. She was on a roll!

"Yes, my fault entirely," Irene said which was music to Helena's ears. "However, can we talk about how you were a little rough before….," Irene said.

Helena's head jerked up immediately as she completely misconstrued the intent of Irene's dialogue and thought she had found out about the two students. "I will be as rough as I like when dealing with matters like that," Helena declared.

"I think an apology from you would go a long way if you could do it in person ….," Irene suggested.

"The hell I will! If I ever see them again, I will bang more than their heads together!" Helena declared, throwing her Monte Blanc pen down on the desk.

"You banged her head? Tell me you didn't touch her," Irene pleaded, unable to make sense of what Helena was confessing.

"Her head? What? Whose head are you talking about?" Helena asked.

"Whose heads are _you_ talking about?" Irene asked, finally getting that they were talking about two different offenses.

Even Helena finally caught on that they weren't on the same page, although she didn't particularly want Irene on the page of her latest assault. "You're talking about a woman," Helena deduced when she finally thought about Irene's choice of words.

"Yes, and you're not," Irene pointed out. "I'm talking about the woman who is sitting outside," Irene explained.

"Oh, yes, well….I hope he changes back soon. I don't have the patience to deal with _two_ slow people around here," Helena said, taking another jab at Irene.

"Helena, I should have made it perfectly clear to you that Mr. Generis is not here today," Irene said clearly.

"You mean he is, but he's in a different form. It's okay, I asked him to inform me directly. It's not really your fault, even though it pains me to say that," Helena said glibly.

"No, Helena, He's not here. Not in a metaphysical sense. In reality. He's downstairs with Claudia for a full day of …..tech spa treatment ….or whatever she calls it," Irene explained.

"You mean…?" Helena asked slowly.

"She's a real person," Irene said. "And I apologize. I should have made that perfectly clear to you before."

"Yes, yes…that might have been helpful," Helena said. "Well, do tell her I apologize."

"You described her as… _decaying_. I think it would greatly help if you …please…apologize in person," Irene practically begged her boss.

Another person might be horrified at talking to another person like that, but Helena just stared at Irene, enjoying the guilty woman's confession. "You know none of this would have happened…..," she prompted Irene.

"Yes, had I not listened to you and had taken the time to explain," Irene concurred.

"I would have known she was a real person…," Helena said, belaboring the point.

"And you would have been charming as ever. I know, Helena. This is all my fault," Irene said ….again….because she knew how much Helena enjoyed it.

"I never would have made her cry," Helena pointed out.

"Yes, I'm sure you feel as awful as I do…," Irene said, getting up from the chair, hoping Helena would do the same.

"Well, not as awful as _you_ do because it really isn't my fault," Helena clarified as she got up, but didn't move.

"It's astounding how razor sharp your focus is when it's another's culpability we're discussing," Irene mentioned.

"Not another's. Yours," Helena said immediately.

"Of course," Irene said, knowing there was no rushing this.

"Well, it's just that …..she's out there ….," Helena dragged on.

"Excellent point, Helena. Just excellent," Irene conceded because she was afraid the injured party would leave by the time Helena stopped enjoying herself.

"Did _you_ apologize to her?" Helena wondered out loud.

"Yes, yes I did, but I'd be more than happy to demonstrated exactly how it's done if you want," Irene said and bit her lip. One did not keep Helena on the hook for too long when she was winning.

"No, no, I can manage. However, should the occasion ever arise where I must grovel…," Helena said, walking past Irene. "….I know where to find an experienced person."

Irene endured the harmless slings of Helena's arrows because she understood there was more at stake here than her pride. Irene's experience of having children also gave her the advantage of knowing how to bite her tongue.

Helena marched victoriously to the door of her office and flung it opened in dramatic style. It was done to catch the attention of anyone who might be there. The insulted woman stood up, ready for the next wave of the CEO.

"What is your name?" she said when she reached the desk.

"Sue Mason, Ms. Wells," the woman said and Helena could see that she really had been upset.

"Ms. Mason, I do apologize. I was not informed of the change at the desk and I erroneously confused you for the ever changing assistant who usually is here," Helena began.

"Yes, Mrs. Frederic explained that there was some confusion because he's….theatrical?" Sue said, hoping that wasn't an offensive word.

"Indeed he is. But let's not quibble about logistics. Had Mrs. Frederic taken the time to explain this to me, the entire ugly incident would have been avoided," Helena surmised.

"I distinctly heard Mrs. Frederic before she left and you refused her offer," the older woman said, making sure Helena understood she was not easily persuaded.

Helena didn't turn, but she could sense the smug look on her friend's face. "Well, I did and she didn't, and here we are. I was under the wrong impression, I said some unpleasant things that I didn't mean personally and I do apologize," Helena tried again.

The woman stared at Helena through the thick lenses of her glasses trying to decide if she were sincere. Helena didn't care for the heaviness of the exchange because the silence was giving her time to remember exactly what she said.

"I really am sorry," the Brit added and it was enough to convince the wounded worker.

"I accept your apology," Sue said and extended her hand to Helena.

"Oh," Helena said, because in her mind, so rare was an apology from her that of course the woman would take it. "Yes, thank you," Helena said, shaking the woman's hand.

The temp worker went back to work, the burden removed from her shoulders by the CEO's apology.

Helena walked Irene to the elevator. "Happy?" she asked as if this had all been for the HR Director.

"For a woman with so little experience in the act of contrition, I'd say you did very well, Helena," Irene said.

"I have so little experience because there is so little for me to ask forgiveness for," Helena quipped.

"So …the two people…whose heads …you….," Irene asked, motioning her hands together to indicate the assault. "…does _Myka_ know about that?"

The Myka card! Of all the things the HR Director could do in jest retaliation, mentioning Myka was the ace up her sleeve.

"Don't be ridiculous. There is no need for Mrs. Bering-Wells to be concerned about two men who insulted her right in her class," Helena spilled.

"So it was her students you assaulted?" Irene asked, pressing the button for the elevator. "What did they do exactly?"

 _Had she said they were students_? Helena wondered. Damn, this woman! "They indicated they wondered what it would be like to touch her. No one insults my wife," Helena said vehemently.

"No, I know, and I don't blame you for taking such action," Irene said and Helena uttered ' _Good'_ even though she didn't mean it. "Of course, Myka might be worried about…students…being handled like that….. in her class…and what….that might mean," Irene pointed out.

The HR Director wondered if Myka would worry, as she just had with the employee, about what action the students might take. The tables of guilt had turned and were pointing now in Helena's direction.

"I …they wouldn't dare….Myka doesn't even ….," Helena blurted out, unable to fathom how swiftly they got from Irene's guilt to hers.

"It's okay, Helena. I won't say a word, you know that," Irene assured her as she stepped into the elevator. "But when Myka does find out, Helena? You know where to find me when you're ready for those groveling lessons."

The door closed before Helena could even come up with a retort which came out like a loud grunt. "URRRGGGG! That woman!" Helena shouted and now caught the expression on the assistant's face.

"Sorry, sorry…." Helena said, not wanting any more trouble from anyone.

She walked back into her office, vowing not to come out for the rest of the day.

Which is why Helena never saw the men come to her floor and ask to meet with Eileen Sullivan.


	14. Lovers and Other Strangers

**Lovers and Other Strangers**

Myka believed in fair game, so she set out that afternoon to plan a dinner Helena would not soon forget. She thought she would enlist the help of the resident _Chef Amour_ who, oddly enough, was standing right outside Myka's door when she opened it.

"I have a few ideas," Millie said as soon as her boss opened the door. She had spent the better part of that afternoon wondering how to help Myka.

"How did you….?" Myka asked, looking around to see what clue Millie could have picked up on.

"Myka, I'm a woman who knows love and where there is love, there should be good food," the woman who gave a course in that connection proposed. Then Millie walked into Myka's office as if she were already two steps ahead. Which she was.

Myka slowly closed the door as she tried to connect the dots. "So you have some suggestions…?" Myka tried to ask, hoping they were on the same page.

"Of course I do," Millie said enthusiastically, happy to have the chance to assist.

Walking back to her desk, Myka asked her eager assistant what they were.

"A delicious meal of delectable food that will enhance the mood for sensuous consumption," the connoisseur explained in a sing-song voice.

Myka stopped mid-step when she saw the knowing look on her assistant's face. "Okay," Myka said, cringing at how nonchalant her response sounded.

"You might even want to eat the food," Millie said, whipping out a folded paper with the menu written out already. Myka nearly tripped over nothing on the floor and landed safely in her chair.

"Oh, I must have…" she tried to save face.

Millie watched as the red rushed up Myka's neck to her cheeks. "See? We must create a meal that will aid in the expression of desire and what better way to help that than with scrumptious food that will tease the palate and awaken senses," Millie said as she glanced down at her list of ideas.

"I was …thinking…pasta," Myka coughed, preparing to listen attentively.

"Do you know that Capsaicin in chilies stimulates nerve endings to release chemicals which can raise the heart rate and trigger the release of endorphins to give you a natural high?" Millie stated because she lived to educate people about different nourishments.

"No, I don't think…." Myka tried to answer.

"Now, for appetizers, I'm going to forgo the asparagus appetizers and suggest figs instead," Millie said with the most innocent expression. Myka was well read enough to know that there were physical associates with both of those foods.

"Excuse me?" Myka said, wondering if she wanted to hear the actual menu.

"Everyone knows that figs are a wonderful source of both iron and potassium. Would you rather avocado?" Millie asked, as she peered over her reading glasses.

"No, uhm…(clears throat) …and for dinner?" Myka asked, and took a pen as if she needed to write any of this down.

"Lobster pieces _drizzled_ with butter," Millie answered on cue. She always put a lot of thought into her menus.

"Oh, I don't know if Helena …," Myka said, trying to remember if she had seen the Brit ever eat the dish.

"She will," Millie said with a knowing stare. She didn't know a person, seafood fan or not, who could refuse a bit of lobster from a lover's fingers.

"Okay, that is easy," Myka said as if it were a foregone conclusion. "Any suggestions for dess….?"

"I like to say that if we're doing this the right way, you won't actually get to the third course," Millie smiled, before the question mark appeared at the end of Myka's sentence. "But I think chocolate covered, well, anything, is always nice."

"Chocolate…okay, then. I think…yes, that about covers it," Myka said, as she started to write something down and noticed that the pen was upside down.

"Good! Glad I could help. Now remember, Myka," Millie said as she left the list with Myka and got up to leave. "The key to romantic dinners…..," she said from the doorway. "No utensils."

"No utensils," Myka repeated, trying to sound like she was committing the instructions to memory.

Millie went outside and returned to her desk where she prepared the email with the dinner menu and sent it to Leena.

* * *

While Myka was listening to Millie and planning the dinner, Helena was busying herself in work. She asked her temporary administrative assistant several times to get people on the phone or to send messages. The woman ran back and forth from her desk to Helena's desk, delivering proposals and contracts to review. And, in between those mad dashes to and fro, Sue signed for the delivery of a very large bouquet of flowers. At the next available moment, Sue brought the vase and flowers into Eileen's office and placed it on her desk and handed her the card.

"Oh, they're beautiful," Eileen exclaimed when she saw them. The sweet aroma filled the office and she thanked Sue for carrying them in. She worried that they were too heavy for the woman. She waited for the woman to leave before she opened the card and read:

" _TECHnically speaking, you are the love of my life," Claudia._ Eileen's forehead wrinkled at the corniness of the joke, but she loved the woman who sent it and she hugged the card into her chest.

" _You are the sweetest_ ," she texted to her girlfriend when she inhaled the aroma of the pink roses.

A smiley emoticon appeared almost instantaneously on her phone. She knew Claudia was busy with the systems check on the android. " _I miss you more than Helena misses Sui_ ," she texted and laughed at her own joke. Again, the smiley emoticon appeared almost instantly. " _Thank you for the flowers_. _They're beautiful_ ," she texted. Claudia texted back – " _Just like you. I have to work late. How about we meet for dinner at eight at Rays_?" " _Perfect_ ," Eileen texted back. She had a meeting downtown and the famous pizza place, a favorite of the Wells gang, would be close by.

At the very same time that Eileen was on her phone reading the invitation to dinner, Claudia was getting a different set of texts from her girlfriend, telling her she would be late that night and would meet her at home. Claudia was actually glad she had some time alone at home to continue her work on the proposal. She texted back – "I will have dinner waiting for you." And by that she meant, she'd order the pizza.

As the two women unknowingly answered what they thought was each other's emails, nothing in massive sophisticated security system at Wells Corp sounded an alarm.

Whoever was doing this was …. very good.

* * *

"I've read about proposals, but never actually seen one," Sui said to Claudia as she tapped the keys on her laptop with unusual vigor.

"You never watched _The_ _Bachelor_ or _The_ _Bachelorette_?" she asked as she slip another photo into place.

"We don't watch reality shows at Mrs. Frederic's," Sui explained.

"Bummer," Claudia said and Sui agreed.

"I have tried to explain that I have no organic brain to rot as she declares would be the outcome of viewing such shows," Sui expounded.

"Have you …actually ever _won_ a disagreement with Mrs. F?" Claudia stopped what she was doing to ask because the odds were astronomical.

A quick check of his memory bank came up with the answer. "No," he answered.

"Ha! Another thing you and Helena have in common then," the techie laughed.

"Oh, no, I believe I have witnessed Helena presenting her side of dissimilarity _and_ advancing," Sui concluded.

"Sui, I know it might look like that to the uneducated eye, my friend, but I believe those are probably the times Mrs. Frederic is too tired and _allows_ Helena to win. Just saying," Claudia shared.

The android absorbed new information the way most of us inhale chocolate; with great delight. "Oohhh," he said, adding that to both his Helena file and Irene's. He would later repeat it at an importune moment. "Why does Helena portray herself as indifferent to someone she cares a great deal about?" Sui asked, as Claudia got up to check his scanning process.

"I think," she said, bending down and clicking the mouse over another program to analyze his connectivity, "….it's because feelings are messy and _black and white_ people like me and the boss, want to put feelings in boxes and label them. They don't work like that."

"No, I know that. Why do you fear them?" Sui asked, drawing that very astute conclusion.

"Why do we….. fear them?" Claudia asked him, looking right into his blue eyes. "Who says we….? Because they're fraking scary. They come out of nowhere, they jump you from behind, they blindside you, they straggle your thinking until you can't form words," Claudia ranted from the heart.

"It would seem you have had a lot of experience in this," Sui said.

"Yeah," Claudia said, wondering how they got on to such an annoying topic.

"And yet you have such positive feelings for Ms. Sullivan," the student of human behavior observed.

"Well, of course I do. She's….," Claudia stopped to find the right words, but none seemed to match her feelings. "Everything."

Sui processed everything he was seeing – the suppressed expression of feelings, the obvious change in temperature and heart rate of his mentor when she spoke of her beloved, and how her words seemed incongruent with the depth to which she obviously had these feelings. He searched his database for possible things he could offer to aid Claudia. .

Then he broke out into song! Specifically " _She_ _Is_ " by the Fray. And in what could only be attributed to his cross referenced programs, he sang the words and sounded exactly like the singer as he belted out:

 _Do not get me wrong I cannot wait for you to come home  
For now you're not here and I'm not there, it's like we're on our own  
To figure it out, consider how to find a place to stand  
Instead of walking away and instead of nowhere to land_

"Sui!" Claudia said when she realized he was repeating lyrics. "Stop!" but there was no stopping him. He was singing his heart out because he had calculated this response had the highest correlation to what would be soothing to his friend. Perhaps in written form, not in verse.

This is going to break me clean in two  
This is going to bring me close to you

"What didn't we give you an on and off switch?" she yelled as she tried to figure out how to shut the man down. Literally.

 _She is everything I need that I never knew I wanted  
She is everything I want that I never knew I needed_

People were now staring into Claudia's work area as the android concluded his impromptu serenade. "Ha, ha," she laughed nervously as coworkers looked in. "He's …his ITunes programs. Stuck. Ha," she said making it worse.

"I have no program issues," Sui said and the techie glanced over at the duct tape on her desk and wondered if it would work.

"Yes, I know, it's just I needed an explanation as to why you were singing that song," the Director of IT shared.

"Because I analyzed the over 2000 songs that you programmed me with, and chose that to best reflect your current situation," Sui explained.

"Thank you," Claudia said, grateful for the gesture, not so happy with the attention. "Well, you're in tip top shape. No viruses, no hacking, no surprises," she concluded as she detached the input wires.

"I was certain that there were no anomalies," Sui said, standing up and fixing putting his suit jacket back on.

"We can never be too cautious," Claudia stated firmly.

"Actually, some studies have proven that being overly cautious can impede spontaneity," Sui said as he thanked Claudia and took his leave.

Those words, unlike the others that he had spouted during his checkup, struck Claudia. She pushed the monitor that showed the glowing results of her android friend, and looked at her laptop. Sticky notes with ideas and plans were attached to the screen, in addition to ten different programs that were loading pictures, compiling music and calculating what the weather was going to be next week. Another tracked sales at the Apple Store where she was planning to propose to Eileen.

"Maybe Sui is right," she said out loud. "Being too cautious isn't always the way to go."

* * *

Helena let out a long sigh as she finished the paperwork that had been piled on her desk. Once she put her mind to it, the tasks at hand went rather quickly. Her reward came in the form of a text from her wife – " _Meet me at home for a romantic dinner_ ". Helena pushed back in her chair, smiled the broadest smile, and gazed out the window.

 _What in the world did she ever do to deserve this woman_? She wondered.

It would seem that everyone had special dinner plans that night. Pete was meeting Jane at The Oak Room for a late dinner; Claudia worked feverishly on cutting back on her proposal creation, and Helena was urging Pete to get through the traffic that stood between her and that romantic dinner.

* * *

Eileen Sullivan was downtown at a meeting to review the scripts for the new season of the TV show - HG Wells. The response from the audiences had been overwhelmingly favorable, but the network was thinking of moving it to a less than desirable time slot. "It's the precursor to being canceled," a very concerned junior executive whispered to Eileen.

"This makes absolutely no sense!" Eileen argued. "The numbers prove that this show is exactly what the public wants!"

"Our calculations and projections of what will be big _next_ season is leaning more towards reality television," the network CEO explained. "But we look forward to an amazing season, nonetheless."

To say that this seemed counterintuitive to Eileen was putting it mildly. The show rested in her hands and she knew how important this line of business was to Helena. She didn't even have to question what her mentor would do. As they sat around the table listening to the accountants and analysts argue about the future of the show, Eileen jotted down her plan. She kept glancing at her phone to see the time. Two hours until she met Claudia.

Plenty of time to tell these idiots what she really thought.

* * *

Myka could have predicted Helena's entrance with absolute accuracy. "Stairs, two at a time, door opens," Myka said as she sat on the couch in the living room, but with her ear on the front door. "Coat," she said as she heard the article of clothing being flung and missing the chair. "Bag," Myka said, softly right before the thud of the purse hitting the floor. Myka stood up and took the two champagne flutes and walked towards the door. "Straightens out her dress like she hasn't been running and …voila!" Myka said, just as Helena entered the doorway. Myka handed her the glass and smiled, because Helena was trying to settle her breathing.

"Hello you," Myka smiled warmly.

"Hello you," Helena melted in response.

"To us," Myka said and leaned into to kiss her wife and handed Helena a glass.

"To us," Helena said, watching Myka sipping the elixir and then doing the same.

Myka's expression changed as her eyes twinkled and her lips smiled in a mischievous grin. "And to all the things I'm going to do to you tonight." No sooner had she said those words, than her hand reached out for Helena's glass as the thought – "Ankle gives out, loses balance momentarily," flashed across her mind.

She did know her wife.

So did someone else. And they were about to play with fire to get Helena's attention.

* * *

 **I'm way off my usual schedule but do hope you're still reading along. Love to hear your thoughts!  
**


	15. Casting a Spell

**Casting a Spell**

"Everything in place, Henry?" the senior agent asked his subordinate who sat impatiently in the restaurant on Prince Street in lower Manhattan.

"If you mean are we sitting here waiting, then yes. No sign of target yet," Henry reported back by talking into the cuff on his sleeve.

"Please be careful Henry. Remember, George got himself noticed at the high school. I am running out of agents," his boss said back to him through the earpiece.

"Yeah, the most experienced agent freaks out because Agents Wells' wife stares at him. What a rookie mistake," Henry said with disdain. In spite of his lack of experience in the field, Henry graduated at the top of his class and often teetered on being pompous.

"Never mind that. I'll be there momentarily," his superior stated because he didn't trust the new agents to approach the target. He thought his underlings were a bit too overconfident for a mission they hardly understood.

Damien Blake hung up and took off into the very unfamiliar New York City traffic. He hoped the rest of his mission wouldn't be this dangerous. Two weeks ago, he was sitting at his desk in the Office of the Secret Service doing mundane work. Then he was eating lunch at an open café one day and out of nowhere, he was approached by a man who explained he had a new job for him. He was told to think of it as a promotion, but Damien was having trouble wrapping his head around that concept. Told that his training would take place out West, Damien was given two hours to pack everything he wanted to take. Hours later, he arrived in the middle of nowhere to his new ' _assignment'_ ….. a building that looked like a warehouse, somewhere in the hills of South Dakota. He was told that the site was relocating and he found it odd that they didn't say ' _they were relocating it_.' However, when he arrived, the team already there - who was supposed to explain everything to him, seemed to be in crisis mode.

He was transferred to a business he knew nothing about and his training consisted of a tour of the facility he would be responsible for - somehow. The information was barely enough for him to understand how the entire contents of the building were going to be moved to a new location. He asked them to clarify if he was in charge of the move, but they said, no – that was being handled by an _insider_. He asked what his job would be once the move took place and he was told that there wasn't time to explain all of that because there was a complication with the move that needed immediate attention.

 _Someone_ – _somewhere_ – was demanding - _something_. And he was in charge of making sure they got it.

That, he was told, was all he needed to know.

When he saw the other three agents assigned to help him accomplish the vague task, he was certain two of them were recent graduates and had very little field experience. Henry seemed to be on loan from the British forces and he wasn't exactly sure where Demetri came from. The only experienced guy was someone who had worked at the Warehouse, but he'd been out of the field so long, he got made on the first day.

Everything about this new job seemed to have an air of mystery about it. Like when he visited the facility in the barren landscape, he asked what the moaning sound was that emanated from within the Warehouse. He was told not to worry about it.

What the Warehouse Staff didn't tell Damien was that they were all worried about it. Something was happening that they never anticipated. And they weren't exactly sure what the solution was. The plan about to unfold was created out of an urgent need to contain the situation, and it wasn't a very good one at best. Now it was Damien's duty to make sure that the plan was carried out.

He knew from his training that this was the most asinine operation he had ever been on.

* * *

"What time do you have?" Pete asked the waiter at the Oak Room for the fifth time.

"Still seven o'clock, Mr. Lattimer," Jeffrey answered politely. Pete had been there forty minutes already. He had informed the maître d' his plan and now Jeffrey.

"Okay, so you know what to do when she arrives, right?" Pete asked, straining his neck to see if there was any sign of Jane.

"Yes, sir. You and your future fiancée will have dinner and when it is time for dessert, you will order the raspberry sorbet and the ring will be placed in the bottom of her glass," the patient man repeated.

"Yes, good. Now, if she for some reason insists on cheesecake?" Pete asked because he had planned for every conceivable contingency.

"…then we shall place the ring carefully within the confines of the cake, sir," Jeffrey said because he prided himself on being the most helpful he could be.

"I don't see why she'd order cheesecake, because we always order the sorbet, so there's really no reason for her not to have the sorbet, but you know, just in case," Pete said, unable to stop himself from rambling.

"Very good, sir. We will do everything we can to make this the most perfect evening, sir," Jeffrey assured him.

* * *

Claudia walked the circumference of the couch in the oversized living room in the Penthouse waiting for Eileen to come home. With the place to herself, she decided to talk herself through her plan for the date next week. "We'll go to dinner, and then I'll suggest a walk. We'll be near the Apple store and I'll say I want to go in to look at the new laptops. We'll browse while the store clears out. Then, I'll start to open the laptop I'm interested in. I'll press a few keys and tell her I'm trying it out and then…..boom! Our history will play on the screen, our meeting, our first date, our vacation, and then the last shot will say – _turn around_ – and I'll be there with the ring."

Claudia momentarily panicked as she ran to the end table and unlocked it. There inside, safe and sound, was the ring she had picked out for her soon to be betrothed. She had brought it with her to Brooklyn when she visited Eileen's parents alone. She was certain Kathleen Sullivan could keep it a secret, but she was worried about Eileen's father, John.

" _Oh Lord, I thought you'd never ask," he blurted out when Claudia shared she what she was going to do._

" _We couldn't be happier," Kathleen cried and Claudia knew right then and there, it was going to be an emotional wedding._

" _She will ….I want…..we will want your blessing," Claudia said, choking up because she had never felt so close to any adults, aside from her Wellsian family. And on most days, only Irene and Myka counted as adults._

" _You have it," John Sullivan said, tears filling his eyes. "You've had it from the minute we knew you were meant to be together."_

" _Now, John, you can't say anything," Kathleen warned him and although he promised he wouldn't, his entire face was light up with joy._

Claudia told the couple of her plan and said that as soon as she told Helena, she would put things into place. She noticed the slightest wince in Kathleen's eyes when she said that. As much as Kathleen had grown to like Helena, her motherly instincts made her fearful of Helena's plans for Eileen's future. She decided she had to trust that her daughter would have the final say.

Now alone in the large apartment, the soon to be _proposer_ held the ring to her chest and took a deep breath. She had never known herself to be this anxious over anything. But she wanted it to be perfect for the woman whom she swore was perfect for her. She placed the ring back in the drawer and locked it and went back to the computer. She pressed some keys and the image of the Apple Store which Helena had secured for her, appeared on the screen.

"Oh my God! What was I thinking?" the techie yelled out loud and fell back on the couch. The store located on the upper West Side of Manhattan was constructed with glass from ceiling to floor. Bad enough she had picked a public place to do this in, but one where there wasn't a chance for privacy? No! She wouldn't be able to get the words out. She hurriedly looked at the other locations. There! Prince Street! That location was a renovated post office that would afford them some privacy from the street. Surely, Helena could request any location she thought. She looked at her watch. Plenty of time to go downtown see the store before Eileen got home from work. She grabbed her satchel and headed out the door.

Thirty minutes later, Claudia approached the Apple store on Prince Street. She realized it was near their favorite pizza place. She would scope out the store, get pizza and be back in time for Eileen to arrive home for dinner.

" _Any update_?" she texted Eileen to be sure of the timing.

" _Ten at the latest_ ," the text said in reply.

" _Miss you_ ," Claudia texted as butterflies took flight in her stomach as she entered the store.

" _Miss you more_ ," came the response.

"This is perfect!" the techie yelled out loud when she saw how much better this location was. "I said that out loud, didn't I?' she asked the saleswoman in the uniformed blue polo shirt with the Apple logo on it.

"I don't think anyone noticed," she tried to assure Claudia as people turned to stare.

Claudia could feel her face turning red as she pulled her head down into her shoulders and walked away. She decided to move slowly around the store and pick out the best spot for her plan to unfold. She had no way of knowing what was going on.

* * *

Under the impression that Claudia was meeting her at eight o'clock, Eileen had been across the street waiting in the restaurant. She couldn't wait to tell her girlfriend about the meeting where she had unleashed her frustrations on the executives by telling them hell would freeze over before she allowed them to air another episode of HG Wells. She would break the contract and find a network with the brains to appreciate what they had in the show. Then, with Wells blood coursing through her veins, Eileen Sullivan told the group of overpaid executives that the meeting was over.

She sat there trying to call herself when Damien sat down in the booth across from her. He explained that he knew Helena and that he had been sent to give Eileen a message. With that, he touched the cufflinks he had been given by the man at the Warehouse and repeated what he had been instructed to say.

"Ms. Sullivan, you will refrain from speaking or acting out in any manner. I mean you no harm and promise you, nothing will happen to you. We need you to come with us and I want you to know, it's for a very good reason. Do you understand?" he practically whispered to Eileen.

Eileen felt as if she had been taken control of because she couldn't speak and could only move when the man told her to stand and come with him to the car outside. Somehow, he had complete control of her. Unsure of what his intentions were, she had to think quickly. She had to leave a clue.

For the better part of an hour, Claudia moved slowly around the long tables, deciding on which location was the best to put the laptop with the video on it. She tried to appear nonchalant, but the more she tried, the more she failed. "Just looking," she said to more than one staff member. "just…..looking," she repeated, making it worse.

She finally decided she better leave before they asked her to leave. She went outside and walked towards the restaurant. That's when the oddest thing happened. Claudia could have sworn she saw a woman who looked exactly like her future fiancé get into a black Ford Explorer SUV. Two men got into the car, one alongside the woman.

" _I just saw your doppelganger_ ," she texted to Eileen, hoping she wasn't interrupting her work.

" _Really? Where_?" came the return text.

" _On Prince Street. I'm going to get us pizza at Rays_ ," Claudia texted, certain Eileen wouldn't be suspicious.

" _Yum_!" came the reply.

"Yum?" the agent in the front seat repeated when Henry said his responses as he typed them back to Claudia.

"Yeah, what's wrong with ' _yum'_? It's a perfectly good word," he said in his British accent.

"If you're five!" his partner said from the front seat.

"Who are you talking to?" Damien asked from the driver's seat.

"The girlfriend," Henry answered. "She's apparently close by."

"Good. We need to get them to follow us as soon as possible," his boss said.

"You know, I've heard the stories about Agent Wells," Henry said because he was the kind of person who read anything he could get his hands on.

"I think they make most of that stuff up," Demetri scoffed.

Eileen had a general idea of what was going on and even though she felt afraid, she sat there planning on what she would do to them if they hurt one hair on Claudia's head. She wanted to warn them that they were making a mistake and that Helena's wrath would weigh down on them as soon as she found out, but unless she was asked a question, she found she couldn't speak.

As Damien pulled out into traffic, he cut off a taxi. Aside from the profanity being thrown his way by the taxi driver, everything else had gone according to plan.

The car pulled away just as Claudia approached the restaurant. She was frustrated that she hadn't been able to reach Helena to ask if she could change the location of the proposal, but would ask her tomorrow.

* * *

Helena never saw the text because her phone, like most things she carried into the townhouse that night, lay strewn across the floor. Since stepping into the house that night, her full attention was on Myka.

After putting the champagne glasses down, Myka pulled Helena over to the couch. There in front of them on the table, was the food Myka had prepared.

"What is all of this?" Helena asked, smiling at Myka's attempt to be in charge.

"This is our romantic dinner. The one you raced up the stairs to get to," Myka answered knowingly.

"Oh, Myka, you're mistaken if you think it was the _dinner_ I raced home to," Helena teased. Her warm breath touched Myka's neck as she kissed it. Myka feared Helena would want to skip dinner altogether - and that was not her plan - so she gently pulled back.

"I want you to try this," Myka said of the sweet fig covered in honey as she slowly placed a piece of it in Helena's opened, waiting mouth. Helena's tongue tried to push the food out of the way to get to the fingers holding it, but Myka let go of the morsel. "Isn't that delicious?" she asked, slowly glossing over Helena's bottom lip with her honey coated thumb. Helena moaned her confirmation, but almost forgot to chew and started to cough when she went to swallow the piece of fruit.

"Are you okay?" Myka asked, holding Helena by her jaw and looking into her eyes.

Helena all but melted into the pools of jade that held her. The look in Myka's eyes portrayed the love Helena never thought she'd know, the salve to all her wounds, the caring that she lacked for over a century, and the tenderness she longed for.

"Yes," Helena said and meant it from her fiber of her being. "I always am, when I am in your hands."

Myka smiled at the sweet sentiment. "Good, because …," she continued as she picked up a piece of butter covered lobster, "….my hands want you."

Helena instinctively opened her mouth and accepted the food without question. The sweetness tantalized her tongue as her lips tried to hold onto to Myka's finger. Helena glanced over at the table and took a piece of the dinner and presented it to Myka. Two could play this game, she thought.

"Wherever did you come up with this menu?" Helena asked as her finger lingered in her wife's mouth.

"Meeyee," Myka tried to say with her mouth full.

"That woman deserves a raise," the CEO stated.

The tide was turning and any second now, Helena would be in charge. Myka had to see to it that it didn't happen. She swallowed quickly, and fed Helena another morsel, this time allowing Helena to suck on her long finger.

Helena tried to repay the gesture, but Myka took her wife's hand and began to lick the butter off her palm. The sensation of Myka's wet tongue on her flesh made Helena shiver. She was certain she could hear the crackling sound of sparks going off in her entire body.

"I really think you'll like dessert," she said later and Helena's eyebrow rose out of intense curiosity. She was beginning to feel as if her eyebrow was the only part of her body she could move – everything was passionately under her wife's enchantment.

Myka pulled back the white napkin that was covering the dessert and took one of the long red strands of candy. She let the tip of the candy slip across her own lips as the action mesmerized Helena, who swallowed hard in response. Then she took the other end and placed it in Helena's mouth. The Brit clenched her teeth as she began biting off tiny bits of it to shorten the distance between their mouths. The smell of sweetness intoxicated Helena in much the same way her Chanel No. 5 affected Myka. With the sugary treat still in their mouths, Helena pressed her lips onto Myka's, her tongue probing to taste her wife's sweetened lips. The couple pulled apart only momentarily to swallow the candy.

"I do love when you eat these," Helena said gleefully.

"They were my idea," Myka said proudly. "Millie…. suggested this," she said as she opened up a covered bowl that had been kept warm. Sliding her finger into it, she then presented the chocolate covered digit to Helena's lips. "I had it warmed up because I know you like it….. _hot_ ," she said, in such a seductive voice, that Helena clamped her mouth around the finger instantly.

Any hotter and Helena would combust.

Myka slowly pulled her finger out of Helena's mouth, now void of any confection. "Would you lick that off if I put it.…," - was all Myka got out before Helena flew at her and kissed her so hard, they fell back onto the couch.

"Anywhere," Helena said, staring down at her wife.

As much as Myka enjoyed the playful banter and jockeying for control, what she really loved was staring into Helena's dark eyes and feeling their _Oneness_ enwrap them in a warmth that made her feel like anything was possible. The couple lay together on the couch, Helena's head on Myka's chest as she listened to the rhythm of her heartbeat.

"Helena?" Myka said, her tone softened and sweet now.

"Yes, love?" Helena responded. When Myka hesitated, Helena looked at her, but she was all smiles and there was a twinkle in her eye.

"I've been thinking, Helena," Myka said, pushing Helena's long locks back. "I think we should try again."

"Try again?" Helena said, unsure of what she meant.

"To start our family," Myka said, the idea born from the love in her heart that burst for Helena.

Helena blinked and looked at Myka as those words sunk in. After having made such a mess of things last time, Helena had decided she would not broach the subject and let Myka bring it up.

"You mean….?" Helena asked slowly because she wanted to be sure.

"I want our baby," Myka said and tears immediately flowed down Helena's cheek; she was so overcome with how much she wanted this, too.

Myka pushed her head up and kissed Helena with a mixture of tenderness and urgency that made the Brit lightheaded. "I …would…have…to…..get…," Helena said slowly trying to complete her thoughts. It was no use.

She was intensely, madly, and insanely in love with Myka.

"Yes, can you?" Myka asked, because the feeling that this was the right moment filled her very being.

The hardest part for Helena was letting go of Myka's lips after kissing her so passionately. "Yes," she finally said and kissed Myka three more times before she told her to wait and that she would be right back. Within minutes, she reappeared and beckoned Myka to come with her to their bedroom.

After gliding their hands over each other's bodies as they undressed, the two embraced as they lie down on the satin sheets. The cool sensation was lost on the warm bodies that heated up with each loving caress and every tender kiss.

Helena looked down at Myka as they lie together. She swore she had never seen Myka look more beautiful. Her gloved hand moved slowly up Myka's thigh and teased her skin with its touch. All Myka could feel was Helena's skin – as if nothing were covering it. Helena achingly caressed Myka until she begged for a merciful release.

In that moment, their _Oneness_ forged like it had never done before and bathed the room in a white light more intense than on their wedding day.

In that moment, both women swore they felt an energy surge in both their bodies as if sharing the pinnacle of their love making and union.

And in that moment, the future was going to make good on its promise to bring them an Heir.

* * *

Just as Claudia was leaving the pizza place downtown, she noticed something in a booth on her way out. Something drew her to it because it looked so familiar. She bent down and picked it up. She had put it around Eileen's neck that morning before she left for work. She recognized it because it was one of a kind – she had made it for Eileen. She looked around, but there was no sight of her girlfriend.

 _So what was Eileen's scarf doing in the seat?_


	16. Trail of Fools

**Being snowed in has some benefits.**

* * *

 **Trail of Fools**

Buried under the soft duvet and sheets, Myka and Helena lay in each other's arms, exhausted, yet happy. Helena's unconscious was processing her thoughts and projecting one way she saw them playing out one of her favorite scenarios. She was on stage accepting a Nobel Prize in Chemistry …..and in Physics…..and in Physiology and Medicine. The image that was making her smile was the HG Wells version of Adele and the Grammy's. When they handed her the Nobel Prize for Literature …she actually said – "No, I couldn't accept another."

Oh, to be brilliant….. and modest!

Myka's unconscious was giving her the sensation of drifting on large billowy clouds. She was lying back, encased in the cool sensation of satin as she floated without a care. But Myka had spent so many years categorizing thoughts, feelings, events – that a part of her brain was always working overtime. Myka's brain was working tirelessly at solving a puzzle – ' _Who was that man that she saw in the high school auditorium_ '? Unlike most people who would access a couple of memory files and give up, Myka's brain had thousands of files to scan to figure it out.

And she did – just as Helena was accepting the Nobel _Peace_ Prize. " _Well, if you insist…."_

The Warehouse!

Myka shot up out of bed, a feeling of fear coming over her like a cold sweat. She reached out to touch Helena so quickly that she startled her….and made her drop her trophies.

"Helena! Helena!" Myka called frantically to wake her.

Helena sat up immediately, trying to get her bearings and figure out where her awards were. "What is it, Darling?" she asked, running her hand through sleek, black hair.

"I know where I saw that man, Helena," Myka said, getting up and pacing.

Helena glanced down at her watch. Not much time had passed it seemed. "What man, love?" she asked, trying to refocus on the present.

Myka rushed back to the bed and sat beside Helena. "When you were talking at the high school….,"

"…And I didn't know you were there?" Helena added, because it reminded her how sweet that was of Myka to show. But it wasn't the point.

"Yes, but while you were talking….," Myka tried to recall.

"….and you were watching people watching me and I was watching you watching people watching me?" Helena said, pulling her knees up under her chin.

"What? Yes, no, Helena….there was a man and he looked very familiar to me," Myka said, trying to get Helena to pay attention.

"What kind of man?" Helena said, wondering what kind of man would catch Myka's attention.

Myka kept checking and rechecking her memory to make sure that she was correct. Maybe he looked like someone who looked like the guy she saw a long time ago. She shook her read. The downside to an eidetic memory was that she remembered the slightest details. It was him.

"I saw a man there Helena. He was from the Warehouse. I'm certain of it," Myka said.

"What warehouse?" Helena asked and then noticed the strange look on Myka's face. Those memories of that place were buried for the former agent.

"Do you mean…?" Helena asked slowly.

"Yes, Helena, yes," Myka said definitively. " _The_ Warehouse!"

* * *

The raspberry sorbet had been served and the wonderfully skilled waiter, Jeffrey, spoke in a calm and slow voice to Pete because he feared he was about to keel over from the anticipation.

"Everything good, sir?" Jeffrey asked and winked.

"Yes, yes, this is delicious. Try it, Jane," Pete said to encourage her to eat it quickly. The detective, who was dressed up for the dinner, smiled at the waiter and took another mouthful. Pete quickly extended his neck to see if he could see how much more she has left. He was practically done.

"Please let me know if there's anything else," Jeffrey said and took his leave.

"This was really, really nice," Jane said, putting down her spoon on the side of the plate that the cup of sorbet rested on.

"What? Yes, this is great. Have another bite," Pete urged her.

"Oh, please," Jane laughed. "Did you see the size of the filet mignon I ate? I'm stuffed," she laughed. The syrupy iced confection was melting in the bottom of the glass.

"Oh, but it's so good," Pete said, scraping the bottom of his glass now, making the 'mmmm' sound loudly.

"Here, have mine," Jane said, her eyes darting to see if anyone was looking at them. The Oak Room was a classy place and not one where people scraped the bottom of their dessert dishes. She attempted to push the plate over towards Pete, but he protested loudly.

"No! That's yours," Pete pointed out, pushing it back towards her.

Only then, did the good detective notice the expression on the attentive waiter's face. He seemed to be indicating that she should take it back. Not one to intervene, the man was very concerned that Pete would lose it if things didn't go as planned.

"O…..kay," Jane said slowly and took it back. "It is good?" she asked more than stated and Jeffrey smiled. She dug her spoon back into the glass and took out the last scoop of sorbet and placed it into her mouth.

Pete beamed; Jeffrey smiled broadly and Jane nearly bit the ring. "Oh God!" she said, so focused on Pete that it took a second to figure it out.

Pete shot up from his chair as Jane took the ring out of her mouth. He saddled up next to her chair and went down on one knee. Nearby patrons started to stare as they anticipated the formal proposal.

"Pete?" Jane said, looking down as he took the ring and wiped it off. It was the most beautiful engagement ring she had ever seen.

"I say yes," Pete said, looking into her eyes and taking her hand. "I want to marry you."

With that, Pete slipped the ring onto her finger and held it there. "Thank you for asking me," he said.

It was not an overstatement to say that Detective Jane Tierney did not express her emotions well. Her job demanded that she compartmentalize them and keep them under wraps. But that night, as her lover finally told her that he was accepting her proposal of marriage, tears flowed down her cheeks as she reached over and grabbed Pete to kiss him.

The quiet of the upscale was broken by the soft clapping of the patrons.

* * *

Claudia was certain this was Eileen's scarf because they had gone to a class on how to make them. Long pieces of silk where covered with felt geometric shapes. Then water was added and the material was rolled and placed in bubble wrap and pressed with pressure until the material forge as one. She had purposely chosen blue and green colored felt because they reflected best in Eileen's light blue eyes.

"She's texting, boss," Henry said as he read Claudia's inquiry if Eileen was at the restaurant.

Eileen's light eyes locked on Demetri as he looked in the rearview mirror. He was driving to his appointed designation along the East River. It had been a short ride from the restaurant where he used the artifact on his abductee.

"Tell her …Miss Sullivan has been invited to be our guest at 340 Sutton Place," Damien said because he had been given very clear instructions. "Tell Ms. Donovan, if she attempts to rescue her girlfriend, she should not come alone. Tell her, Henry, there are a few of us."

"A few?" Demetri said, because he doubted Henry could fight his way out of a paper bag.

"You question authority a great deal, Demetri. It's annoying," Damien said. Then he parked the car outside the apartment that had been secured for them. It was on a quiet street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

Eileen's breathing started to quicken as she realized they were baiting Claudia. Could this all be an elaborate plot to get Helena to come? Why not just meet with her? Or did they want to make good on their offer for her to join them? The preposterous suggestion came after she and Team Wells helped rescue Helena from the rebronzing.

She didn't like the Warehouse agents then, and she really didn't like them now.

The men escorted her inside and settled down in the living room. Demetri sat by the window so that he could look down from the second story. Henry was the refrigerator because he was always hungry. Damien sat in a chair next to Eileen. "Ms. Sullivan, I am going to allow you to speak, but if for some reason, you decide to scream, I will simply get you to stop," he explained, showing off the cuff links.

Eileen thought she detected exasperation in his voice – as if he didn't really want to do any of this. She narrowed her eyes on him and didn't blink. She watched as he touched the cuff links and told her she could speak. Instantly – she could.

"What do you intend to do when Claudia shows up?" she asked in as calm a voice as she could muster.

Damien protruded his lower lip. "Nothing really," he said as he read the page that contained the next set of instructions. "We won't be here."

"What?" the two men asked in unison. Eileen watched as Damien rolled his eyes.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked him and worried now that Claudia would come alone.

"Don't worry," he said calmly. "Your girlfriend will find another clue when she arrives here. We're going to the final destination. Not too far north."

Eileen wondered why they were so forth coming with the details – and if they were true. Finally, she said – "You want Helena."

"Well, technically….," Damien started to explain, but was interrupted.

"You're crazy if you think Helena will come calmly. She will rip you and your two puppets to pieces!" she fumed.

"Boss?" Henry said, worried because he didn't excel at martial arts in the academy.

"Henry is our…technical genius," Damien said almost apologetically. "He's the one who got past your firewall at work."

"I did," Henry said proudly.

"Then you better worry when Claudia gets ahold of you," Eileen said and her captor had enough. He touched the cuff links and silenced her.

"Let's get ready. We have to be in the Catskills before morning," Damien said.

The Catskills were a mountain region about two and a half hours north of Manhattan. It was where Damien was told to bring Eileen.

And to wait for Helena.


	17. The Messengers

**The Messengers**

Helena desperately wanted to dismiss Myka's declaration, but she knew better than to doubt her wife's eidetic memory. Too many times she had tested it…and lost. Helena didn't like losing. And so, questioning Myka's recollection on anything was a sore point for Helena.

She-never-won.

This still didn't stop her from asking the automatic response; " _The Warehouse?_ _Are you sure_?" which drew just the slightest tilting of Myka's head. "I mean I know you are," Helena said, trying to save face. "But why would anyone from _there_ …come… _here_?"

"No one's contacted you?" Myka asked to be sure.

"Of course not! They know better. I believe…you warned them never to contact me directly again or you would expose them," Helena said, getting the slightest tinge of excitement as she remembered how Myka and the Team came to save her. "You were….," Helena said, her eyes very soft now as she leaned in and played with Myka's hair, "…very convincing."

Myka smiled to think of what effect the whole incident had on Helena, when at the time Myka was scared out of her mind. She was running on fumes by the time she got to see the people who actually had taken Helena and she was beyond furious.

"I don't think they'd be foolish enough to ….," Helena was saying into Myka's ear when Myka's phone rang.

* * *

Claudia saw the address and the message: " _Your girlfriend is at this location at our request. She is unharmed. Do not call the police, but do not come alone. You will need back up if you intend to stop us_."

She grabbed the scarf and rushed to the only place she could get to a computer – the Apple store she had just left. "Scuze me, pardon me," she said, pushing her way to a laptop. She furiously typed the access codes to check where texts originated from to see if in fact they possessed the signature to Eileen's phone. And they did. The ping off the cell towers also confirmed that the text was being sent near the location of the address they gave her. She understood they didn't want her to call the cops, but they specifically said _not to come alone_.

Thoughts raced through her mind. _Who would want Eileen? Ransom? Someone who wanted to hurt Helena?_ She had to call Helena. Frantically dialing the cell and then texting, Helena's phone rang and beeped …in her bag downstairs.

* * *

Uptown at the Oak Room, Pete and Jane were embracing when suddenly he felt it – the strangest feeling that something was wrong. Jane felt him pull back and saw the look in his eyes.

"You're not changing your mind already, are you, Lattimer?" Jane teased until she felt herself being pulled up out of the seat.

"Something's wrong," Pete said as the attentive waiter approached them, concerned something had happened. Something had – but Pete couldn't say exactly what it was. He quickly paid the bill, leaving a sizable tip for the man who helped, and then left.

"Somethings wrong? Where? How do you know?" Jane asked as they raced down the grand hallway of the hotel.

All good questions and Pete had to stop in his tracks to think about the answers. It was his vibes – but other than impending disaster, he didn't know the who, what and where. His first thought was Helena and he tried to reach her, but to no avail.

"We have to go…," was all he could say.

Myka's phone was ringing just as Helena was assuring her that whoever that man was, he hadn't done anything. Claudia screamed into the phone – telling her about the ominous text on Eileen's phone and finding her scarf and that she had to do something. She told Myka that she was told to go to the apartment on Sutton Place. Now, she was outside the Apple store, waving frantically for a cab to take her uptown.

Myka put Claudia on speaker phone so Helena could hear her. She repeated every detail to Helena.

"Claudia, I'm afraid that the men who invited Miss Sullivan to that place may indeed be with the organization I once worked for," Helena said, getting up and putting a plan together.

"That fraking hell hole in South Dakota?" Claudia yelled, not having any good feeling about them.

"Indeed," Helena said, and went into her closet to get dressed.

Myka stared at Helena as she disappeared and then back at the phone. "Claudia, we'll meet you there. I think we can talk to them. I mean, I'll call Pete, too."

Claudia agreed and jumped in the back of a cab and told the driver the address. Then she grabbed her phone. " _I'm coming and if you hurt her, I will_ …," she started to type and the erased it. Threatening them while they still have Eileen was not a good idea. She grabbed her arms and hugged herself tightly, trying not to throw up. She had never been so scared in her life.

And Claudia Donovan had been in some scary situations.

* * *

Myka observed that Helena seemed neither surprised nor confused by the news that Eileen might be held captive by people from her former place of employment. She was, in fact, very calm. Ordinarily, calmness would be a wonderful asset in a time of crisis, but Myka knew better.

Helena was only this calm when she already had a plan of what she intended to do.

"Helena? What are we doing to do?" Myka asked as she pulled on some jeans, t shirt and her favorite University of Colorado hoodie.

" _We_?" Helena called from the bowels of her closet. " _We_ are not doing anything. _I_ am going ….," the Brit foolishly tried, but was met with her wife blocking the closest doorway with her hands on her hips.

"Don't even go there," Myka warned, confusing her literal wife.

"But I must go there….," Helena tried and now Myka crossed her arms.

" _We_ are going. _We_ will see what is going on with these people …," Myka explained.

"Darling, these people didn't have the forethought to try to reach me on the phone, send a post or email," Helena pointed out as she donned a black leather jacket that Myka had never seen.

Seeing her wife decked out like that had a similar effect on Myka as her own reading glasses had on Helena – it was a complete turn on. Myka's hand reached out to touch the soft, smooth material on Helena's shoulder.

"You're …in leather," Myka said feeling the texture.

"Yes," Helena said, moving closer. "It's what I wear when I'm about to kick someone's arse."

It snapped Myka back to reality. "Yes, and that's why you're not going alone."

"But Darling, I don't want you near those people," Helena tried to explain.

"Helena, we don't have time to waste, and remember – _Bering and Wells – solving puzzles, saving the day_?" Myka reminded Helena as she led the way down the stairs.

"Yes, dear," Helena said because time was of the essence.

* * *

The fastest way to the Sutton address was a cab, but when Helena and Myka opened their front door to hail one, Pete and Jane were just arriving. He went to the first place he thought of that could give him such a terrible feeling.

"No time to explain, let's go," Helena said and they piled back into the car. On the short ride across town, Helena and Myka told their friends what they thought might be going on. Helena explained that it seemed some people from the organization she worked for were attempting to get her attention.

"By kidnapping Eileen?" Pete asked, driving as quickly as he could.

"Unfortunately, my guess is that these are ancillary agents, perhaps not your brightest," Helena said.

"What kind of agents?" Jane asked, wondering what was going on.

"Federal agents from the …group…I worked for," Helena said, trying to recall how much she had once shared with Jane.

"Oh yeah, that elite group you said you worked for. Archieves or something?" the detective asked.

"Something like that, yes," Helena answered. She now worried that Jane's presence might hinder how she was going to handle this situation.

"And your fellow librarians kidnapped Eileen and you don't want me to call the police? Helena, that's a federal crime," Jane pointed out and Myka tightened her grip on Helena's hand in the back seat.

"Yes, we know," Helena said slowly. "Detective Tierney, if this will violate any laws that you feel would make you complicit, we can drop you off."

Jane took a deep breath. "I am not only gaining a husband, I'm gaining a family who could ruin my career," she pointed out as she smiled at Pete.

"Oh, yes, congratulations on that," Helena said as they pulled up and saw Claudia getting out of the cab.

"I will fraking kill them!" Claudia yelled, storming over to the group.

"That's my girl," Helena said under her breath and Myka suggested that maybe _they_ shouldn't encourage her. And by ' _they'_ she meant _Helena_.

"What so you know so far?" Pete asked Claudia and the closer he got to the apartment, the stronger his vibe got.

"I realize now that they hacked our phones and sent her texts that looked like they were from me and sent me texts that looked like they were from her. I should have known something was up when the text said ' _yum'_ ," Claudia rambled on as she paced back and forth. "No one says _yum_!"

"The people who have taken Miss Sullivan as their guest are probably using her as bait," Helena surmised as they walked to the doorway.

"Oh, this list just keeps getting longer and longer," Jane lamented.

"Do you want me to go around the back?" Pete asked.

"No, Pete, they're not going to run. That is, if they're here at all," Helena surmised.

"They said, _don't call the police, but don't come alone_. _There are a few of us_ ," Claudia repeated.

"Who did they think you'd bring?" Jane asked, wondering how a few NYPD sirens couldn't hurt.

"Me, Detective. They wanted Ms. Donovan to bring me," Helena said as she approached the front door of the building, took a tool kit from her jacket and picked the lock.

Jane watched and then quickly turned away. "I did not just witness a breaking and entering. The door was open," she said, rehearsing what her official report would say.

"I can still do that!" Helena said to Myka, proud she hasn't lost her skillful touch.

"What makes you think they're not here?" Myka asked, wondering how she would defend her wife in court if they were barking up the wrong tree.

"They're trying to lure us," Helena said, walking inside and looking around. "As I suspected; they're gone."

"Gone? Gone where? I will kill them if they've hurt her," Claudia exploded.

Helena realized that not everyone shared her view that the agents who did this were incompetent. "Claudia, I promise you, their intent is not to harm Eileen."

"How do you know this, Wells?" Jane said, looking around for clues.

"These people….," Helena thought out loud, "….may be incompetent, but they're not the bad guys."

"How can you say that?" Claudia asked, turning her anger at Helena. "Remember what they did to you?"

All eyes fell upon the Brit to explain how she could be so sure. "They must need something. Now, I know they're going about it the wrong way by taking Eileen, and for that they will pay, but I do believe that they're sending us on wild goose chase because they need me to give them something or do something for them."

"And reaching out via your cell phone would be too humdrum?" Jane asked, as she touched an empty soda can with a pencil. "I can get a print off of this."

"We're not dealing with thugs here, Detective. These people …and from the looks of it ..there are three of them…" Helena surmised by the chairs moved. "….are military."

Jane shook her head at what the government could possibly want with Helena, but as far as she was concerned, this was a crime scene and didn't want them touching anything. It was too late – Claudia had touched practically everything that the kidnappers had. "I'm going to find them and then I'm going to strangle each one of them. She wouldn't just go along with them. They probably have her tied up or ….," Claudia said and choked back tears at what could be happening to her girlfriend.

Helena reached out to her and grabbed her by the forearms. "Claudia, remember _where_ I worked?"

"Yeah, that fraking fun factory in South Dakota?" Claudia said. Jane turned to look at Pete hoping he understood what they heck they were talking about.

"The contents, Claudia. They probably are using something to…. _aid_ them. Something that would not harm her," Helena said.

Myka was listening, but was looking around. There on the table was a note – ' _Stop wasting time looking for clues. Your friend is at the cabin in the Enchanted Valley, Durham, New York_."

"Helena?" Myka said, handing the paper to Helena, much to Jane's horror.

"You people are a crime scene nightmare," she said of the contamination.

"Oh, sorry, Jane," Myka said, but knowing that they didn't need fingerprints in this case. Whoever the perpetrators were, they wanted them to find them.

"How do you know this isn't a trap? They leave you a treasure map and you're following it, just like they want you to?" the good detective asked.

"This is why they said not to bring the police. You're only going to slow us down with your incessant questions!" Helena complained.

"Jane, Helena believes this is a cat and mouse game that they're playing…in order….to get her to see them," Myka tried to explain.

"This is insane! Even for you, Wells. Some unknowns kidnap your friend, force you to follow clues, and lead you to where their stakeout is and you don't want a S.W.A.T. Team to just go in and remove them?" Jane asked exasperated.

"NO! Please, Helena," Claudia begged, knowing only one person could handle this.

"You're upsetting her," Helena barked at Jane. "Now, should you feel it necessary to intervene, I will ask you not to accompany us. I know these people and I know how to deal with them. And I promise you, I will deal with them," Helena said in a tone that Jane had never heard.

Jane felt caught between going with these people and losing her badge, and letting them go off on their own into who knew what kind of trouble. "I must be crazy," she said after thinking it over.

"That's a conclusion we came to a long time ago," Helena smiled at her without patience.

As Pete led Jane outside, Helena turned to Claudia. "We will get her back. Of that I have no doubt," she assured her.

"What if…what if she's …hurt?" Claudia said through tear laden chokes.

"Then they will pay dearly," Helena said matter of factly and waited for Claudia to walk ahead of them to the car.

Myka pulled on Helena's sleeve – hard - until she turned around. "You –will – do – nothing – of – the – sort, Mrs. Bering-Wells. If we find ourselves faced with any kind of threat, you will let Jane call the proper authorities, do you hear me?"

In that instant, Helena was reminded that her old ways of dealing with Warehouse issues no longer applied. She didn't have just herself to think of anymore. And the tight grip Myka had on her sleeve conveyed that she meant every single word. Helena stared into deep jade pools filled with fury and concern. She knew Myka was worried about Eileen, but she was scared of something happening to her wife.

"I won't take any unnecessary chances," Helena promised before Claudia rushed back up the steps to beg them to get going.

* * *

Pete drove the troupe out of the City as Claudia sat in the back next to Helena and Myka. She typed furiously into the computer to track Eileen's phone. It was due north about forty five minutes ahead of them.

"Please tell me she is okay," Claudia finally typed into the phone when she couldn't take it anymore.

Henry saw the text as Damien drove along the highway. He looked over at Eileen, who stared at him when she heard the text come in.

"Boss? Since we want that Helena to come, shouldn't we just let, you know, _her_ ….," he said jerking his head towards Eileen, "…answer her own texts? I've heard things about that woman…."

Damien looked in the rear view mirror and rolled his eyes. "Sure, Henry. And ask them if they don't mind stopping for beer and chips while you're at it," he barked sarcastically.

"What the hell?" Claudia said, looking down at her phone.

"What?" Myka asked.

"They want us to bring beer and chips," Claudia said, showing the phone to Helena. "Is that code for something?"

"I do hope it's code for what I intend to do," Helena said and Myka could feel Helena's arm stiffen like a steel rod.

"If anything goes wrong up there, " Pete whispered to Jane in the front seat as the three women talked. "I, you know, have to protect her."

Jane patted her purse with the glock in it. If anyone came near the man she was about to marry, she was certain she'd break more laws that Helena.

And that was saying something.

An hour out of the City, Myka thought of how easily Helena seemed to understand these agents. "Helena, can't you call that guy who was in charge? Mr. Kosan?"

Helena smiled at how utterly brilliant her wife was. "That's a great idea!" Helena said and took out the phone she retrieved from the Townhouse floor before they left.

"I would like to speak to Adwin Kosan," Helena said, smiling at Myka. "I beg your pardon? How is that?"

Helena slowly closed her phone and started quizzically at Myka.

"What did they say?" Myka asked, aware that whatever it was, it surprised Helena.

"They said he no longer works there," Helena said slowly.

For the first time since they put two and two together, Myka saw the worried expression on Helena's face. She tugged at Helena's hand to prompt her to share her thoughts. Helena glanced over at Claudia who was busy loading the coordinates of Eileen's phone.

"I'm not sure who we are dealing with," Helena whispered to Myka.

* * *

Up North, in the desolate area of the little town called the Enchanted Valley, Damien parked the car in front of the house they had been told to drive to. It was a three story structure that probably had served as a seasonal resort at one time – a long time ago. Now, the new owner would have this house occupied all year long and Damien worried he would be one of its guests. He stepped inside as Henry and Demetri entered with Eileen.

Eileen was feeling calmer for a couple of reasons. She felt confident that they didn't seem to want to hurt her. She figured out that they were all new to this – and none of them seemed confident, especially their leader. She figured they had been handed this assignment with little information and were simply carrying out orders. _But whose?_ Now that they were there, and now that they were sure Helena was following them, what would happen when she got there? Henry offered her some food and she refused. His head was in the refrigerator which someone saw to stock. Demetri was busy asking questions as Damien looked out the back window in the kitchen. Eileen looked at what appeared to be a view of the mountains in the very near distance.

"I could spit and hit the entrance," Demetri said and Henry thought a contest was in order.

Eileen noticed a soft rumbling sound in the direction of the mountain. She knew a little bit about this area because her family vacationed up here when she was a kid. There was no mining in the area, of that she was certain.

Damien offered her tea and she refused. He noticed the expression on her face. "Do sit down, Ms. Sullivan," he requested and Eileen found herself complying.

"I will share something with you," the lead agent said as he poured himself a cup of tea that Eileen was certain was subpar. "….they gave me these," he said, pointing to the cuff links. "…And told me that they once belonged to Franz Mesmer. He developed a theory about gaining control over someone's actions, as in hypnosis or suggestion. We get the word ' _mesmerized'_ from him. Eventually, a lot of his stuff was debunked, but because he believed it so much, his cuff links became imbued with the ability to cast a spell over someone. I didn't believe it at first," Damien shared as he sipped his tea. "But it really has worked," he concluded, amazed that it did.

Eileen stared at him hard, an expression that was easy to read.

"Oh, I do apologize," he said and touched the cuff links, giving her the ability to speak and move on her own.

"They have burritos!" Henry called out from the fridge and Damien shook his head.

"I take it you're the leader of this little group of misfits," Eileen said as Damien offered her a cookie.

"You must be starving," he pointed out and Eileen was aware that her stomach was hurting. "Yes, I'm in charge," he confirmed.

"That's too bad," Eileen said, and Damien was beginning to think it might have been a mistake to take the spell off.

"Dude, give me one!" Demetri shouted and Damien rolled his eyes.

"Because I'm in charge of those two?" he asked Eileen.

"No, because Helena will come after you first," Eileen sneered.

"Why is she saying that?" Henry asked, his mouth full of beans. "I heard about her, boss."

"There is nothing to fear, but fear itself," Damien said, trying to calm his underlings.

"If I were you two," Eileen said to the two younger men stuffing their faces. "I'd enjoy that last meal."

"Make her stop, boss," Henry said, because it didn't take much to make him nervous. He only got through the academy because he was number one in his class for technical operations.

"Ms. Sullivan, I should clarify that it's not we who want your boss. In fact, our paths might not even cross when she gets here," Damien explained and could see the confused expression on his captive's face.

"Who wants her then?" Eileen asked, raising her voice and Damien reached for the cuff links in case things got out of hand.

"Someone more powerful than us, I assure you. Someone, Ms. Sullivan, who won't take _no_ for an answer."


	18. The Welcome Party

**It's been scientifically proven that the more time between posting chapters, the more mistakes I make.  
**

* * *

 **The Welcome Party  
**

Jane readied her badge in case they were pulled over for speeding, which she expected any minute as her new fiancé raced north on the highway. Claudia kept tabs on Eileen's phone to monitor any movement and also told Pete where the radar traps were.

Myka turned to Helena in the back seat. "Helena, what do you think we're facing here?" she asked.

Helena didn't answer immediately, which told Myka - Helena wasn't one hundred percent certain. Why should she be? She had been away from this life for many years now and had no contact with them after she was rescued. At the time, the Regents assured Myka it was the process set up to make sure the person Helena chose as her _One_ was worthy. Myka thought they were full of shit. But she conceded not to understand the workings of this group, nor their entity, and so she simply warned them never to contact Helena directly again.

And they had heeded that warning, up until now.

"Something must have happened that they hadn't planned on," Helena finally said, breaking Myka's thought.

"Like what?" Myka asked because their actions so far seemed unprofessional.

"These people who have Eileen? They're not doing anything by the book," Helena said. Even Jane found it odd that Helena would know what ' _by the book'_ meant.

"We're almost there," Claudia announced when they approached the property. Pete turned the car lights off as they slowly pulled up.

"Can I safely assume that no one in this car is carrying a weapon?" Jane asked and Claudia started asked Helena if she thought they actually needed guns.

"Oh, I seriously doubt that we do," Helena said, her voice deep and her lips curling.

The plan they discussed on the way up was quite simple. They would tell the agents they arrived, approach with caution and demand Eileen's freedom. Jane reviewed what negotiations often sounded like and reminded Helena that they truly weren't sure just whom they were dealing with. None of that mattered to Helena. Eileen was inside and she had every intention of getting her released.

Pete unlocked the trunk and Claudia started her program to commence the drone launch. The small device started and took flight right up to the house where it peered through a window.

"There she is!" Claudia said when the camera showed Eileen sitting at a table with three men. "I swear, if they put one hand….," the techie said, choking back her fears.

"She looks okay," Myka said, reaching over to pat Claudia's hand.

"Detective Tierney, a word?" Helena said and asked Myka to excuse her as she scooted over Myka and got out of the car.

"Of course," Jane said, sorry she had to put her high heels back on. She regretted they were all involved in this situation, but she was seeing a different side of Helena and was experiencing a new found respect for her.

Myka may have let her wife get out of the car first, but that didn't mean she wasn't right behind her. She knew better than to let anyone hear Helena's plan first.

* * *

"Any sign of our guests?" Damien asked Henry who sat very busy at the computer.

"What? Oh!" Henry said, turning off his international match of chess and checking the program tracking their guests. "They're outside."

"What? Outside?" Demetri exclaimed as he pushed his chair back and shot up from his seat.

"Demetri, calm down. We know what to do," Damien said and looked at Eileen.

"Ms. Sullivan, I believe this is where we part company," the agent in charge said and Eileen frowned at him. "Well, I mean, after we take you to the …..designated place," he said. He stood up, touched the cuff links and asked Eileen if she would be so kind as to follow him quietly.

Knowing that she was under some weird influence didn't make Eileen feel any better as she stood up and felt as if she wanted to follow him. She really felt hypnotized, yet fully aware of what was happening. She tried to will herself to stop, but her body simply wouldn't cooperate. Damien needed Eileen to comprehend what the plan was, so he allowed her to speak once they were in the basement and approaching the door.

Demetri walked ahead and Henry followed behind, all the time, looking at his laptop. Eileen smiled because she knew it was just a matter of time. Then she heard it - that familiar noise a computer made when her girlfriend had cleverly hacked into it and was about to take the owner off line.

Henry stopped in his tracks. "Boss!" he said as he frantically tapped keys on his device.

"What is it now, Henry?" Damien asked and stopped to turn back.

Henry showed them the screen on his computer that simple read: " _KNOCK! KNOCK_!"

Eileen burst out into the broadest smile. Claudia had been there five minutes and had already hacked into his computer.

"I'll reset the IP address, patch the firewall, and reassign a ….," Henry said desperately as Eileen delighted in his attempts.

"This is good," Demetri said, trying to see the glass as half full. "If Agent Wells is busy trying to hack, then she won't be on our heels."

"Tsk, tsk," Eileen said to him, unable to move, but still able to express herself. "Helena is saving _her_ energies for when she meets you. That, my dear Demetri is the work of Claudia Donovan. She can make your friend Henry here look like a MIT Freshman."

Henry started banging the keys now, but someone else had control of his laptop. "Leave it, Henry. We'll access the computers inside," Damien said and Henry gave his computer one last shake to try and release it, but to no avail.

"Dammit, she's good," Henry said because he understood how many steps it would take to even begin unraveling his security.

"And that, Henry, was probably the _least_ painful part of your meeting," Eileen said looking straight at him. The young agent was unnerved by how intense her light blue eyes appeared.

"It's okay, Henry," Damien said, "Ms. Sullivan thinks we're all going to be sitting around a table discussing the mission, when in fact, we won't even get to meet the infamous Agent Wells."

"I can't imagine Helena allowing you to get away with this," Eileen pointed out as they continued to walk down the hallway that connected the house to the final destination.

"Agent Wells is going to be…busy," Damien said assuredly because after all, that was the whole plan. "Here we are."

Eileen didn't like the sound of that. _Busy, how_?

When they reached the end of the long hallway, Demetri punched a long stream of numbers into a keypad and placed his eye to the screen. A rather large, very thick heavy door opened and they entered.

"What is that smell?" Eileen asked and the three agents told her they had no idea what she was talking about. It smelled _very_ familiar to her.

Damien went over to a computer and pressed the keys, typing something in that Eileen could not make out. They seemed to be in an office with a large window that had shades on it. The room was very cool and Eileen was wishing she had her scarf that she left in the booth at the restaurant.

Suddenly, the senior agent seemed very agitated as his underlings gathered at his side.

"What does that mean – _Do it yourself_? What does that mean?" Henry asked.

"Could you give me a minute to talk about this?" Damien asked and he sounded more like their father than their boss.

"My-instructions-" he started to speak out loud as he typed the words, "…were- to- bring- her – here –and – leave." He seemed to be typing the message to someone whose answers appeared as soon as he was done typing.

" _Take Ms. Sullivan downstairs. I cannot have Helena walking in here to simply find her, kill you and leave_!" Damien read back the reply.

"KILL US?" Henry yelped.

"I'd like to see her try," Demetri said, flexing his muscles.

"Oh, you won't see her coming," Eileen sneered at him.

"Boss, I took this assignment because of the opportunity to hack into one of the most secure companies in the world. I did that. I don't want to die," Henry explained.

"That does sound like a bit more than we expected. Tell me, Ms. Sullivan," Damien said, touching his cuff links, "…does your boss still possess any weapons?"

Eileen answered truthfully as instructed; "Just her hands."

"Ha!" Demetri laughed. "Piece of cake."

"Take her downstairs," Damien told his two wards as he collected what he needed. He glanced back at the screen where the instructions he was told he would receive appeared. "Do NOT harm her."

He foolishly thought they meant – Helena.

"Yes, yes," he answered to no one in particular when the response appeared on the screen; "I mean it!"

Damien considered that the place was bugged or had camera who some other sensing devices around. It was the oddest place he had ever been in and when he went outside to the stairs, he looked out on what looked rows and rows of shelves.

"Section L, Aisle 5," he shouted out to his underlings who walked ahead with Eileen. There was a great similarity between this place and the Warehouse where Helena had been. This place must be a satellite office, she thought, as she looked around at the shelves. Most of them were empty.

"Where are they?" Damien shouted into the air and looked at his phone. "Good, they're approving the house."

* * *

When Helena turned to talk to Jane, she wasn't really surprised that Myka was right there. Jane bit her lip at seeing the Brit so accepting of the fact that she wasn't going to do this alone.

"Detective, if these men are armed, I intend to disarm them quickly," Helena said and Myka wanted clarification on that.

"I have to identify myself as NYPD," Jane reminded Helena.

"Aren't we going to talk to them?" Myka asked, touching Helena's arm.

"I don't want you anywhere near them," Helena said as sternly as she could without sounding off alarms.

In that instant, the detective could see in Helena's demeanor, that she already had a plan in mind. "What do you need me to do?" she asked.

"Don't let anyone near her," Helena said.

"They went downstairs," Claudia reported when she got out of the car. Pete was there now, too.

"They know we're coming," Helena said. "I think if we just approach the house, they will let their intentions be known."

"Okay, as the only _authorized_ person to use force, I'll go in first," Jane said.

"Helena," Myka said, pulling at her wife's sleeve as the group started walking. "Please don't take any chances. Promise me you won't."

The zip ties that had just been placed around Eileen's wrists were less constricting than that request. When faced with a situation like this, Helena knew one way of dealing with it – revenge; fast and painful.

"I can't let them do this to my family," Helena said, her voice now sounding sharp. "This time they lured us with Eileen. Suppose they don't get the message, Myka? Suppose one day they decide to take….," and Helena couldn't finish the sentence, but Myka knew exactly what she meant. And she hadn't thought of that. Myka didn't understand their maneuver at all – but was trusting that Helena knew these people well enough to know they weren't going to harm anyone. But that didn't meant Eileen wasn't afraid or upset. Helena was right. Suppose, years from now, they came back and took their child?

Myka's head raced with these thoughts. They may not know exactly what they were walking into, but she trusted Helena to handle it. She trusted Helena knew not to be foolish in her actions. She trusted Helena – period.

"Make them understand, Helena," Myka said and squeezed Helena's arm. It was all the blessing Helena needed.

"Of that, love, you can be certain," Helena said, her lips turning up just the slightest. Then, they joined hands as they caught up with their friends.

* * *

Claudia was loading schematics of the house. Jane was peeking through the windows to make sure the house was empty. Pete was pacing – afraid he'd be caught between defending the two women who meant the most to him. Except Jane had a gun.

"Listen," he said softly to Jane. "If anyone comes at her …,"

"I know, Pete. Let's hope it doesn't come to that, but I know," Jane said because she knew that his relationship with Helena was deep.

"How are your vibes?" Claudia asked, trying to remain calm as her stomach tightened.

"They're calming down," Pete said after he thought about it. He had no way of knowing his empathic sensors were being thwarted.

* * *

"Boss, how are they going to get through if we locked the doors?" Demetri wondered.

"Henry left them unlocked, didn't you Henry?" Damien said.

A creature of habit, Henry locked every door he ever went through. "Oh, I thought you wanted them locked."

But before Damien could react, the text on his phone told him not to bother. " _We have lit the way for Agent Wells_ ," the message told him.

"So, now what?" Demetri asked because the plan was very sketchy.

"Now, we part company with Ms. Sullivan," Damien said. "I do hope you will forgive us for the way we went about this, Ms. Sullivan. Ours is not to question why, ours is but to do or…," and Damien thought he better not complete the old adage and scare his subordinates.

With that, he touched the cuff links one more time and instructed Eileen to scream – which she did. Henry immediately put his fingers in his ears. Then Damien took a small box off the shelf, took the cuff links out of his shirt sleeves and placed them in the box and put it back. Then he looked down at his phone and a map appeared. "This way," he said, believing he was leading his men to safety. "It seems we're not quite done."

* * *

As Jane entered the house, Helena's phone vibrated – and a text appeared. " _The direct way has been illuminated for you."_

"Where is this coming from?" she asked Claudia who did a quick scan of her phone.

"It's …coming…from…..," Claudia said as she walked to the back of the house and looked out the window. "There," she said, pointing in the direction of a door that appeared at the end of a lit up path in the backyard of the house.

Nothing about this make Jane feel like they weren't walking into a trap and yet, she was trusting Helena's instinct. They walked the distance to the doorway of the facility which as they got closer, seemed flush with the mountainside. Claudia already was figuring out how to force the code on the keypad. Within minutes, it was opened.

"Let's go," Pete said and he and Jane walked down the long entryway first, then Claudia, followed by Myka and Helena.

"What the frak?" the techie asked when they all heard the loud moaning sound in the hallway. It wasn't scary, but it was loud. They walked down to the next door and waited for Claudia to decode it. It almost seemed too easy, she thought.

* * *

"They're in," Damien reported to his fellow agents. Eileen's sporadic yelling could still be heard. As soon as the group of friends entered the office room, they could hear it as well.

* * *

"What the hell is this place?" Jane asked, her hand on her gun as they looked around.

"How do we find where she is?" Claudia said, frantically rushing to the window to look out.

Then the large computer screen started to spew lines of data, making a screeching sound as it did so. Suddenly, it stopped and everyone looked at the final message.

 _"Welcome home, Helena."_


	19. HG Wells to the Rescue

**A/N: should you ever doubt I listen attentively to your posts, inquiries and suggests - know that this story line of Helena returning to the Warehouse was born out of request from readers M4BW and Henrietta McArdle.**

 **Then Aidyl James added some insights and AsgardianBlade - bless her soul - stretched my imagination to add depth to what I was about to write.**

 **Many thanks to all who read along and post their thoughts - it is always appreciate. Keep it up - please.**

* * *

 **HG Wells to the Rescue**

 **Two Weeks Earlier** …

As the Head Regent of the Warehouse, Adwin Kosan knew this day would eventually come. Yet, he had to admit, it seemed to arrive quickly. There were a lot of things that went into the timing of the event, least of which were issues with the present location. The town residents of Univille in South Dakota had started taking notice of the large building on the outskirts of town. And homes were popping up rather close by. It seemed no one was put off to live near, what they believed to be, the IRS Tax Records Office.

The new locale would most likely never present that issue. It was so remote that they were installing their own airfield so that agents could fly in and out of the area. The committee that had been selected by the Regents was sent to approve the new location. Their report came back shortly after their arrival outlining all the benefits.

The Warehouse was set to move to Australia. The particular area there was chosen because it was so uninhabited. It was the perfect place to hide a Warehouse.

And dead bodies.

In spite of the fact that the reports kept coming from the scouts, the bodies of the three members lie in the bottom of a chute near the new location; killed shortly after they arrived. After their initial inspection, they voiced their objections. Most notably, unstable geographic conditions would make it very unsafe for the contents of the Warehouse to be transported there. Not everyone cared about that point, though, including the killers. The fake reports made sure that their plan was still in place.

Back in South Dakota, things seemed to be moving along. Mr. Kosan had been sorry to have to say goodbye to the then current Warehouse crew. They had really worked well together and Adwin Kosan was all about team work. But these people were retiring or moving on. Now, the new staff was in the new location already, learning the ropes. A new Caretaker was being vetted by the Regents, and the Warehouse had begun its process of relocating through a portal that connected the facility to the new site in Australia.

Then one day, Mr. Kosan received an urgent call from Andy Nelson, the senior agent of the South Dakota location. It seemed that everything came to a standstill when the team of movers was packing up some items. Adwin asked Andy to clarify what that meant.

"There seems to be a shield – like an energy field around Section L and we can't seem to get past it," the man explained.

"What is in that section?" the head Regent asked.

"It's the _HG Wells_ _Collection,_ " Andy said of the rows of items belonging to the former agent. "It's the strangest thing," he continued, afraid his boss would think he was crazy. "But…it's almost as if the Warehouse is protecting those items."

It wasn't the only strange thing that started to happen. When Andy began getting messages on his computer, he figured it was a malfunction in the mainframe. His IT genius was long gone and he tried to manage on his own. Rows of data spewed across the screen, which Andy couldn't decipher. Finally, in frustration, he yelled out to anyone who could hear him – "You gotta help me here. I have no idea what this means."

 _Someone_ heard him.

" _Get HG Wells,"_ the screen red. " _Now._ "

Afraid that someone had infiltrated the Warehouse, an elite team of highly trained tech people were called in on special assignment. Reports from Australia indicated that everything over there was at a standstill and the Warehouse occupancy was little more than city square block of land.

Andy, having worked at the Warehouse the longest of any of the agents, started to do his own research. It was almost as if things were going along just fine, until they reached that particular area. With items as fragile as _Noah's Ark_ and as rare as _Beethoven's hand written symphonies_ , why would the Warehouse select that section to protect?

When the IT staff concluded that there were no outside influences, no malware or viruses, Andy decided to try something a little more direct. He sat down at the desk after everyone left one night and typed:

"What do you want?"

He waited and nothing happened. "Stupid IT guys," he muttered because he missed his own IT whiz kid who would have figured this out in no time. Maybe the Warehouse was going digital, he thought, and needed less space. Maybe there was a problem with the electrical, he wondered, and went downstairs to the source of the energy. He checked meters and readings and everything seemed to be okay. The only thing standing between him and the much needed vacation he planned was whatever was going on here.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?" he yelled out to the ceiling.

And then it happened. First it was just a rumbling, and he thought maybe he touching the dials had kick started the unit into commencing the move again. Then, electrical charges started and small balls of crackly energy began flying around like baseballs. Andy crouched down and ran for cover. They seemed to be chasing him, coming close, but never hitting him until they had maneuvered him into place. It lasted several minutes and then stopped abruptly. Andy looked around and realized he was standing in the _HG Wells_ section.

In all the years Andy worked at the Warehouse, he saw amazing things that no one would ever believe. But – he never _heard_ voices. That was about to change.

" _I want Helena_ ," the voice that was a mix of male and female vocal sounds said.

Andy immediately looked around to see how that sound was coming to him. _Must be over the speakers,_ he decided.

"So…you…want…..to talk…to….Agent Wells?" he asked as he slowly peered down the aisle to see if someone wasn't playing a joke.

" _I want you to bring her to me,"_ the voice said, and this time if seemed like a feminine singular.

"Well, you see, the thing is, Agent Wells is no longer with the …Agency," Andy said, getting his phone ready in case he had to call for help. "We…she…was bronzed, debronzed, then rebronzed, and then debronzed, you remember. And anyway, we kind of lost touch with her."

The thunder clap over Andy's head almost deafened him. He grabbed his cell and was about to call when the text read: " _Okay._ "

The noise stopped, the electrical outburst ceased. The hum of wrapped items being sent though the portal started again. Andy returned to his office, checked the Warehouse transfer logs and noticed that it had indeed commenced. The Warehouse was once more in motion and everything was back to normal.

Unbeknownst to Andy or anyone else, the destination on the other end of the portal through which the artifacts were being sent – had changed. HG Wells' belongings were among the first to be sent to the new location – chosen to be close to the one person who could help.

Data started to pour across Andy's screen in his office again and he assumed that it was the internal servers taking inventory and logging where everything should go at the new location. He left that night to the quiet hum of the forces within getting back to the matters at hand.

* * *

Adwin Kosan, in the meantime, received an emergency text, summoning him to the Warehouse. When he arrived, he found that Andy was not there – but the large PC monitor was blinking.

" _Can you get me HG Wells_?" it read in large letters.

Adwin suspected what was going on right away. A believer that knowing the truth was always better, Mr. Kosan put the facts out there. He sat down at the keyboard and responded. "She is no longer ours," he sadly informed the Warehouse. "She belongs to a different world now."

" _Can you get her_?" the question came immediately.

He could almost understand the entity's fondness for the former agent. She has spent a great deal of time within its walls. After years of being encased, the Regents needed HG for a special case. She served them well, as she had always done, and after her assignment was done, Adwin petitioned her release. And he was perhaps the only Regent who regretted the rebronzing – a process to make sure Helena had chosen her _One_ wisely. He felt it was unnecessary and yet, it was written in the books handed down to the Regents through the years. The Regents felt that rules were there for a purpose. After the ordeal, Adwin gave Myka his word that he would not reach out to Helena again. He was a man of his word.

"Sadly, I cannot," he answered aware to whom he was speaking.

" _Thank you_ ," came the quick response.

* * *

The team in Australia was now monitoring the messages being displayed on the computers at the Warehouse. One of the team members was nothing short of a tech genius and had coupled the Warehouse computers to his without anyone knowing it. Now that the transfer of items had ceased, they decided to manage any communication that were being sent by the Warehouse system. After all, they were being paid a lot of money for some of the items being sent over - by a wealthy third party – who had less than benevolent uses in mind.

As Adwin Kosan was about to leave, one more message appeared. " _I need you to come to the Eldunari. Something is wrong!_ " He barely noticed that it was in a different font altogether.

The Eldunari was a very special room that served as the central nervous system or heart of the entire Warehouse. Kosan himself had once said that it was the room that connected the mind of the Caretaker to the soul of the Warehouse. Perhaps, he thought, the absence of the Caretaker was what had things in flux. Adwin made his way to the room that was filled with floating symbols that moved in all directions. If they were aligned in perfect synchronization, it was a sign that the Warehouse was happy and in good form. He no sooner entered the space, that the door behind him locked and objects began to swirl in disharmony.

The Warehouse, aware that something was wrong, felt as if it was unable to access anything to warn the Regents. The distress calls never reached them. Someone else had control. The Warehouse was being censored and its electrical resources were being redirected towards the portal transfer. It took a great deal of energy to send items through a worm hole to the other side of the planet.

Now, it was obvious that the team of people that meant it the most harm were slowly taking over all of its functions. It was time to take matters into its own hands, before it was too late.

The Warehouse knew there was only one person to trust. And it would find someone – anyone – who could make it so they could meet.

While the Australian Team diverted the messages and worked on reopening the original portal, the Warehouse devised its own plan. Items were coated in a protective covering to be undetected and it worked tirelessly to get as many items through the second portal. Then it accessed one of the programs the nefarious team wasn't paying attention to – the _Personnel_ program. It picked individuals whose selection wouldn't raise any red flags. Three agents were chosen based on their skill sets to carry out what needed to be done. It chose a new recruit who was top of his class in technology, another agent one year in the field who knew several different forms of martial arts, and a leader who would do what was asked without question.

When Damien, Demetri and Henry arrived for their short briefing, they had no idea they were being assessed – and then approved for the plan. " _They will do_ ," the message appeared after Andy explained what their mission was. Andy was simply told by the computer screen messages that it was urgent someone get Helena to come to a new location.

The most experienced of the three, Damien Blake found the plan to be convoluted at best. But he never questioned why they were hacking into a company's computers and staff cell phones, to kidnap a junior executive and leave instructions to be followed – all so that the CEO of the company would follow them to a mountainous region in Upstate New York.

Then the Warehouse did an analysis of how to increase its chances. When it proposed that, based on the information it had received about Helena, there was a chance that perhaps the former agent had changed, a solution was proposed – a test to see whether or not Helena Wells was still the best agent the Warehouse ever had.

* * *

 **Present Day - New York…**

Devising the test meant that there had to be an adjustment. That's when Damien was informed of the change in their mission. Instead of leaving after their assignment was complete, they were instructed to return and face the rescue party. Henry was to return to Eileen and refuse to release her. Damien and Demetri were to lure Helena Wells to a designated place and detain her as long as possible.

That would prove to be seconds.

The agents retraced their steps and Henry went back to Eileen. "Why did you come back?" the woman asked because she had been told they were leaving.

"New orders," Henry said, looking every bit as nervous as he felt.

* * *

Myka Bering prided herself on her vast vocabulary and her acuity at noticing what words people chose in their communications.

"They're _welcoming_ you _back_?" Pete asked, confused by the sentiment as they read the message on the computer screen inside the office.

"You worked here?" Jane asked, looking around trying to imagine how the well-dressed woman could work in such a drab place. "There's so much...dust."

"No, this is all new," Helena said, wondering why the building was here in New York.

Myka was the only one still staring at the message. "Helena, this is does not say - _Welcome Back_. It says – _Welcome Home_ ," the semantic minded woman said.

"See if you can access the computer to get a map or something," Helena was instructing Claudia. The techie no sooner touched the keypad than a map appeared – with a large X to indicate where Eileen was.

"Oh, no, we're not walking into a trap here," Jane said, her hand still on her weapon.

"Let's go," Helena said and the group followed. Within minutes, they were standing at the end of the aisle. Jane went to approach Eileen and her captor, but Helena assessed quickly that the man beside Eileen was unarmed – and nervous.

"We can handle this," Helena said and followed Claudia down the aisle. "It's time to rescue your girlfriend."

"Eileen! Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Claudia asked as she rushed and knelt in front of her girlfriend.

"And who might you be?" Helena asked as the man attempted to tell them to stay away.

"I …am…stay away from her," Henry said and Pete looked at Jane. "How the hell did they pull this off?"

"We will do nothing of the sort. Now, where are the others?" Helena asked as she got very close to Henry's face.

"I'm fine. They used something – to hypnotize me," Eileen said as Claudia cut the zip ties.

"They drugged you?" Claudia yelled, but Eileen explained that they had used cuff links and how it had this overwhelming effect on her.

"This is going to get weirder by the minute, I just know it," Jane said, looking around.

"We….," Henry was about to explain the plan…. when some force touched the cuff links and Henry …foolishly ...grabbed Eileen's shoulder to hold her in the seat.

Instantly, Helena moved back, giving her young protégé ample space to charge at Henry and knock him down. "If you ever put a finger on her again, I swear I will …. I will," Claudia yelled as she reached behind her back and produced a set of handcuffs. "Put these on or I unleash Helena on you," she threatened.

Henry did as he was instructed.

"Could have used mine," Jane said as they approached.

"Yours don't deliver twenty thousand volts from an app on your phone," Claudia snarled, looking at Henry.

"I wish I had thought of that," Helena said, admiring the young genius' creativity.

Ordinarily, Helena's praise would get Claudia's attention, but at the moment, the techie was kneeling down in front of Eileen and checking her over. "No one touched you? You weren't harmed in any way?" Claudia asked, and her voice shaking just the slightest bit to think that someone had harmed Eileen.

"No, they didn't. No one…," Eileen said, staring down into pools of utter concern for her well-being. She leaned over and kissed Claudia and grabbed her to hold her so tightly, making sure the ordeal was over.

" _Save me_ ," Helena heard someone whisper to her and she thought for a second it was the young agent.

"The hell I will," she said, but he wasn't talking.

"You have to go down there," Henry said, the instructions given to him via the cuff links.

"Stay here with them," Helena said to Pete and Jane.

Myka followed Helena close by as they walked down the aisle. "Helena, this is the part where we talk about how I don't want you harmed," Myka whispered as they walked.

Helena stopped, turned and looked at Myka's worried expression. "Myka, I am not sure how I know this, but I sense we are being protected in this space."

"Well, when this is all over, someone else is going to need protecting, Helena. Because I am going to …you know…rip someone's head off for getting you into this again," Myka said, her anger surging out of protective feelings for her wife.

" _You chose wisely_ ," came the whisper in Helena's ear.

* * *

 **Me again - I took some of the things straight out of WH 13 canon - such as the Eldunari room. However, I'm sure I broke about 100 canon laws in trying to get this to work.  
**

 **Did this turn out to be what you expected?**


	20. The Team Behind the Woman

**The Team Behind the Woman**

Andy Nelson could feel the tension as soon as he stepped into the South Dakota location. He had no way of knowing that it was due to the fact that the Warehouse inhabited three locations – a necessary, but dangerous situation. Ordinarily, the transfer from the old to the new location was taxing enough. It had never done the process in three separate places. While fending off the reengagement by the Australia team, it was moving things from South Dakota to New York, trying not to be detected.

"What the heck?" Andy asked as he looked around to see what the loud creaking noise was. "A little help here….," he shouted into the air. He tried to reach Damien to see if in fact, he had found the former agent.

Damien was a little busy at the moment.

* * *

As soon as Helena and Myka entered the aisle, Damien and Demetri were waiting.

"Are you the individuals responsible for detaining Miss Sullivan?" Helena asked as she slowly moved towards them.

"Yes, I am Agent Blake," Damien said. "We were following orders."

"I'll put that as your epitaph," Helena said, her voice calm and deep.

Demetri stared at the tall, slender woman and immediately decided he could snap her like a twig if he had to. That foolish, foolish man.

"Agent Wells, I presume?" Damien said. He stood erect and wondered if his side kick could, in fact, protect him. All those years with a desk job did not keep Damien as fit as he wished he was.

"That is no longer my moniker," Helena informed him and they all heard the low moaning sound – as the structure winced.

"What the hell was that?" Demetri asked his boss as the sound surrounded them.

"We were given instructions on how to get you here," Damien offered again because the closer Helena got, the easier it was to see that she was very determined. He had hoped to avoid a confrontation, but now that he was instructed to invite one, he wasn't about to waste Demetri's talent. "Don't let her get too close," he whispered to his young ward. "The girl is unharmed," he reminded Helena.

"That is why you're still breathing," Helena said and as hard as Myka tried not to get turned on by this, Helena's badassery excited her.

"You can …handle them?" Myka whispered from behind and Helena turned and smiled devilishly.

"If you have any weapons, I suggest you put them down right now. I do not want them near my wife," Helena instructed as she pushed the sleeves of her leather jacket up just a little.

Feeling confident that they had accomplished their mission, Demetri boasted that what they had were their ' _smarts'_.

"Pity," Helena replied, smiling. This was almost too easy. She knew any second the younger agent with the shorter fuse would attempt to charge her.

"Helena, he's kind of big," Myka whispered just before the agent jumped out in front of Helena and announced his various degrees in several martial art forms.

"You know what they say about how the big ones fall," Helena commented.

"I must warn you, Agent…," Demetri said….. right before dropping to the floor. He never even saw Helena's left fist as it struck his carotid artery in his neck. Gravity took over and he made a very loud noise as he landed.

"See? It's true," Helena smirked to Myka.

Damien had heard of such maneuvers, but had never actually seen anyone capable of using them. Until today. Now, there was nothing between him and the leather-jacketed force.

"Be careful, darling," Helena said sweetly as she helped her wife step over the unconscious brute.

"I was given a set of instructions to get you to come here, Agent…Ms. Wells," Damien said, reminding Helena that he was following orders. "It hasn't been so long ago that you would have done the same."

"You touched my family," was all Helena said before striking the man so quickly he had no time to react. He fell to the ground. "That headache should remind him never to do that again."

Myka was just pleased that they had been dispensed with so quickly and that they could leave.

"Well done, Helena," came the voice that surrounded them and made Myka grab onto Helena's arm. Unlike the whispers before, this time Myka could hear it.

"What the hell is that? Who is that?" Myka questioned - her grip on Helena's arm tighter now.

"I suspect that is the reason we are here," Helena said softly and pulled Myka closer.

"I am in need of your services, Helena," the voice said and Myka looked around to see the body that should be accompanying that voice.

"I am no longer in service to the Warehouse," Helena said, unsure of whom she was speaking to. _In all her years in the Warehouse, she never once heard it speak. Or had she?_ "How do I know this isn't part of a devious plan?" the cautious agent in her questioned.

"Do you remember this, Helena? " the unrecognizable voice asked and the next thing they heard was at least four distinct voices speaking in succession. It was four different news streams – relaying the sinking of Titanic, the end of WWII, the assassination of JFK, and the landing on the moon. Each update had a different voice.

Myka didn't quite get what it was, but suddenly, she saw the expression on Helena's face. It was a mixture of surprise and confusion. "But I thought…," Helena said as she shook her head, trying to understand.

"Helena, what is it?" Myka said, and pulled Helena to face her. "What?"

"When I was…," and the word was still hard for her to say.

"Yes?" Myka asked, worried now that something was bringing this all back to Helena.

"The agents…sometimes would…be in that section. Some of them…read the papers to me," Helena remembered. "It is how I emerged aware of what was going on in the world."

"They were not allowed in the Bronze Section," the voice above them spoke.

"Okay, what the hell is going on here?" Myka yelled. She pulled Helena behind her as she stood to face whoever this was. Something was toying with Helena ….and _something_ was going to pay.

"It was I, Helena," the voice said. "I was the one who spoke to you all those years."

Helena cast her eyes down trying to remember how many she thought there were through the years who talked to her. She had never seen them, but always remembered how their visits brought her comfort. All this time it had been the very place she was in that was looking out for her.

"You better freaking show your face right now! Right now, you hear me!" Myka yelled her warning.

"Tell her, Helena," the voice said. "Time is of the essence."

"We are talking…to the Warehouse," Helena shared with Myka.

"Like with the person in charge of the Warehouse?" Myka asked as she tried to get her head around what Helena was saying.

"No," Helena clarified. " _The…._ Warehouse." Her voice was laced with the amazement she felt at such an occurrence.

Myka uttered a soft 'oh' and nodded her head as if what Helena was proposing made perfect sense – except it didn't. "How do you know this?"

"I'm not sure, but I do," Helena said, struggling to explain what the feeling was that resonated within her.

"I am in trouble," the voice said and explained that the people on the receiving end of the Australian portal were getting ready to sell the artifacts.

"She's not going anywhere," Myka yelled worried Helena would have a sense of duty or obligation to help.

"They have over ridden my neural network in South Dakota. Any minute now, they will trace this connection to here and drain my resources," the entity explained. "You must do something, Helena."

Myka heard the pleading in the tone and knew Helena's chivalry would cause her to rise to the occasion. "It…needs…our help?" she asked to make certain everyone knew this would be team effort.

"Solving puzzles?" Helena asked and in that question she was asking for Myka's blessing.

"And saving the day," Myka said cautiously, still not certain who she was helping.

"Can you give us the coordinates?" Helena asked as she took Myka's hand and they returned to the others.

* * *

"Everyone okay?" Pete asked, making sure.

"Yes, but we need to save the Warehouse," Helena said, her plan already forming in her mind.

The group just looked at each other, not quite sure what that meant. The first one to answer was – surprisingly – Jane. "Sure," Jane said with a new found respect for Helena. "Just let me get outta these shoes."

"How is it in trouble?" Eileen asked - her fingers entwined still with Claudia's. She hadn't let go of her since the rescue.

"There's a portal and we need to close it," Helena said and then realized this could take some explaining.

"Adwin is being held captive," came the whisper in Helena's ear. "And we must act quickly."

"What is this facility?" Jane asked, aware now that Helena's seemed to know how to handle herself well in this situation.

Helena smiled for a second. "It is a place of endless wonder, but it is under threat right now."

"What do you need us to do, boss?" Pete asked and everyone gathered into a circle as Helena explained what was going on.

Within minutes, Claudia was syncing her computer with the mainframe of the Warehouse and downloading the coordinates it sent Helena. Pete got on the phone to Andy Nelson and explained that he was with Helena Wells in New York and told him what was going on. It took a few minutes of Andy ranting before Pete could get a word in and when he did – he said _Eldunari_. Only someone with inside information would know that room. Jane reached out through Interpol and told them about the smuggling ring in Australia.

Eileen monitored the electrical readings to make sure the Australian team wasn't trying to seize control of the power network. But she kept looking at Claudia – the woman who had saved her and who now was about to do her part in saving the Warehouse. "How did I get so lucky?" she wondered out loud.

" _She is also fortunate_ ," came a voice out of nowhere and Eileen swung around on her heels to see who was there – but it was no one.

* * *

The tricky part of this whole operation was going to be appearing as if the portal from South Dakota was operational while in fact, it was the New York location doing all the work. Opening the new portal meant that whomever was on the other side, could gain access and control of it. Claudia devised a program that would give her dual access and established a loop – so that it would appear the Warehouse was depositing items when in fact, it was withdrawing them.

The trifecta locations were putting a strain on the Warehouse and all energy had to be concentrated on retrieval. On its own, it would not be able to know what was being retrieved.

"Show Myka what was sent," Helena typed into the computer and what appeared was an endless stream of pictures – that Myka watched carefully…once. When the item appeared back through the portal, Myka would know how much was left.

As the hours passed by, Pete suggested he text Steve to let them know where everyone was.

"Tell Mr. Jinx we are at a meeting," Helena suggested, but Pete reminded her that they were talking about the human lie detector.

"Tell him we're at a remote location in New York, watching crates mystically appear though an energy opening between here and Australia. That should work," Jane said, having promised her fiancé she would save all her questions until later.

* * *

By the time the sun was coming out, the Wells Corp team had accomplished what they set out to do. The portal to Australia had gone undetected and Myka was certain – based on her eidetic memory check list – that all the items were safely transported back to New York. The local Australian authorities had arrested the men as they were negotiating the deal with their interested party _. Jane's boss would never quite understand how a New York City detective managed to break up a smuggling ring half way around the world._

The energy resources ebbed and flowed and were nearly on empty when the Warehouse attempted one last maneuver before it shut down to recharge.

"Come to the office, " the message said on Helena's phone and she went there with Myka.

"I am indebted to all of you," the feminine voice said.

"Bering and Wells…," Helena started to say, but her wife wasn't going to be so polite.

"You listen to me," Myka said and wasn't sure where to focus her eyes. "I know how you people work. You always come to her when you need something. And you think she's still yours, but she's not. Do you hear me? She is mine! My wife, my _One_ , my whole world! And I am not going to let her run up here every time you get yourself into trouble or a traitor gets behind your walls. Set up a better screening process, would you?" a very tired Myka shouted.

Helena stood there, silent, biting her lip at how fierce Myka was when she was in protective mode.

"Helena belongs to….," the Warehouse was about to say, but never got the chance because Myka erroneously thought it was going to suggest that HG Wells belonged to the world.

"….ME! You got that? She belongs to me!" Myka yelled, pushing her hand through tussled curls and pacing now. "And I warned you before – well, I warned those people – not to come to her directly. You come through me, you got that?" Myka said, uncertain how an entity would actually get in touch.

"Perhaps a phone," the voice suggested.

"What? Like the Bat-phone?" Myka asked incredulously.

"What is that, darling?" Helena asked, unfamiliar with the pop culture iconic device.

"It's …never mind. We need to discuss this – just the two of us," Myka said to her wife.

With that, Helena and Myka went to return to the group, but before Myka could catch up, the door closed behind Helena and separated them momentarily.

* * *

"You are wrong, Myka," the voice said to her in a calm tone.

Myka was in protective overdrive. She was dealing with the group she thought she detested because of what they did to Helena. She held no fondness for them – even if they were in dire need of Helena's help. "Oh, really? You want to tell me how?" Myka said, getting more comfortable with speaking to the air.

Suddenly, Myka's own voice and image appeared in a hologram form. It was from her last visit to the Warehouse.

 _"I don't understand what you do and I don't know what this place is, although if Helena was a part of it, then I know it is a good place. But there is nothing within those walls of yours as wonderful, as precious as the woman who is HG Wells. And because you did not recognize her worth, I do not want any of you ever to contact her again. If you need Helena, you come to me."_

Myka remembered saying those words, but she didn't realize how angry they were.

"I _always_ knew how precious Helena was," the Warehouse said truthfully. "It is why I protected her all those years."

Now Myka was a mix of emotions. She had a hard time trusting that Helena would come to no harm in a place that had taken her and held her. Still, it seemed Helena didn't share these feelings of mistrust. She rushed in here and helped – just as she was asked.

"Well then, thank you...," Myka said, haltingly, "…for taking care of her…all those years. "

"I was waiting... for you," the Warehouse conceded.

* * *

 **A/N many thanks for your encouraging words.  
**

 **The replay of Myka's own words appears in "The Heir Apparent" Chapter 13.**


	21. A Force to be Reckoned With

**Please, no one tell AsgardianBlade's** _ **Once Upon a Time fanfiction readers that I am keeping her busy with helping me as they anxiously await her next installment.**_

 _ **Thank you to all who posted their thoughts. I do appreciate your encouraging words, insights and brilliant ideas. There's a part of each in you in this series somewhere indeed.  
**_

* * *

 **A Force to be Reckoned With**

Pete's text to Steve explained that the team was handling something of a very sensitive business nature and that they would not be in until tomorrow. The carefully worded message would not have been a cause for concern except for the part that Pete added at the end.

" _Don't Tell Mrs. F_ "– it read.

That caught Steve's attention. When he asked Pete why not, Pete explained it their trip North had to do with Helena's _former_ employer and he didn't want to alarm Irene. Pete was proud that he had thought of everything and returned to helping Claudia with the security issues.

Back in Manhattan, that directive kept gnawing at Steve. Although the man possessed an uncanny knack for detecting lies, he struggled with even the thinnest veil of deception. In reality, he was no match for the woman who possessed the remarkable talent for getting people to confess openly and willingly.

"This is very odd," is all Irene said when she received notices that several of the directors were out with the CEO and Chief Counsel. Irene meant _odd_ that she didn't know about the meeting; she didn't think it was odd for them to be together.

Steve was nearby and started pacing as thoughts tossed in his head. He could have used that energy to escape, but it was as if his feet kept turning him in the direction of the woman who now stared at him. While she was wondering what was going on – he wondered if in fact she was reading his mind.

The worst thing Steve could have said - came right out of his mouth - " _They told me not to tell you!_ "

Irene rarely dabbled in human drama unnecessarily when Helena wasn't there, and today was no exception. "Then you shan't," she said as she kept walking.

That should have been Steve's cue to walk away, but the unexpected response confused him even more. It was almost too easy, Irene thought. She turned back slowly and said; "Unless of course, you want to…."

"They're at a meeting of a sensitive business nature…..," the man blurted wondering how the woman possessed the power to get him to talk.

This only made Irene wonder if Steve's vacation request had been approved because it was obvious he was in dire need of one. Irene trusted that if Helena wanted her to know, she would have told her. So, she nodded her head and started to walk away.

"…..with her _former_ employer," he added, and exhaled a huge sigh of relief that it was all out.

 _That_ caught Irene's attention and made her stop in her tracks. In an instant, she was back at Steve's side, asking him if they called from South Dakota.

"They're in South Dakota?" Steve asked.

"Get the location of that call," she barked in an usually loud tone. She then instructed her assistant, Sandy, to ready whatever mode of transportation would get them to the meeting the fastest. Twenty minutes later, she was in a helicopter on its way to the coordinates of the cell phone ping.

* * *

In spite of the speed at which things were happening, Myka was aware that Helena seemed to appear to be at home in this strange place. Myka had prepared herself for Helena's fury, but now she felt as if she was watching her wife be cooperative. Trusting Helena didn't mean she trusted what was going on. It seemed the Warehouse was in charge. It had just separated her from Helena, albeit momentarily. When Helena realized Myka was not directly behind her, she returned to the office – just as Myka was coming through the door. "

Everything okay?" she asked Myka.

"Yes," Myka said, wishing she could ask whatever or whoever was talking to her what that last statement meant. They started walking back to the group when the question finally came to Myka.

"Helena," she finally said and pulled Helena's hand to stop walking. "….this place is the epitome of ….smoke and mirrors" Myka whispered, afraid of agitating something or someone. "How do we know?" she asked looking around, but raising her eyebrows to finish her thought.

It was a valid question. After all, the Warehouse was in this bind due to the ineptness of its caretakers. Maybe this was all a ploy by them to get their brightest agent to return and help.

"I can only tell you that it is a sense I have," Helena said and that didn't satisfy Myka.

"No," Myka said flatly, looking around as if she were talking to someone else now. "Not good enough. Eileen had been taken against her will – willingly – due to their mumbo jumbo."

"Myka, she read to me…," Helena said and she could tell Helena wanted to believe it.

Myka felt terrible that she was testing what Helena so easily trusted, but she had to be sure. "Give her back her things," Myka said, turning around as if speaking to someone nearby.

"Myka!" Helena said, almost chastising her. That tone was enough to convince Myka that her wife so wanted to believe that the Warehouse was speaking to her, that she wasn't questioning it.

"If you are …what you say you are…..give her back her things," Myka stated again, more sternly this time. Dead silence befell the area as Myka turned from side to side, waiting for something to happen.

What little Myka knew of these people, she knew they had held onto the items that belonged to their former agent. Whenever Myka asked Helena about her belongings, other than the journals, letters and locket she took with her, Helena explained that they were now property of the Warehouse.

Not anymore.

"If they are returned, will you trust that this is what Helena believes it to be?" the voice asked.

Myka looked at Helena and read in those dark eyes her longing to believe that the Warehouse had a soul, a voice, and a heart that once cared for her. Even if Myka were demanding this test for Helena's benefit, she couldn't bear to take that away from Helena.

"Yes," Myka said and saw Helena's expression soften as she let out a sigh.

Helena appreciated that Myka was questioning the validity of the situation and was very relieved when Myka agreed to the terms of the test.

"She's protective," Helena whispered and the response – " _She's not the only one_ ," came back to Helena's ear.

The Warehouse was wise not to share every thought with Myka.

* * *

Claudia and Pete had laid out all the issues that they saw in keeping the facility safe. Then the techie went back to the three men, still attached to chairs, to ask Henry how he had infiltrated Wells Corp.

"Administrative Assistants' Day," Henry said, wishing he could work with someone as bright as Claudia.

"Excuse me?" Claudia asked, having calmed down a great deal.

"We had flowers sent to the assistants. The deliveries were made and placed on the desks. Inside each was a device that could pick up on sensitive information and passwords," Henry explained. On such short notice, it was the only plan the three agents could come up with.

"You mean you didn't break though our firewall? You didn't get through to our systems?" Claudia asked.

"Are you kidding? I tried for hours! I've never seen a system where there wasn't some kind of crack you could get through," Henry said. And then in case there was any doubt, he added: "I graduated top of my class."

Claudia smiled from ear to ear at that news. All this time, she worried the Wells Corp system – _her system_ – had allowed these bozos to gain access.

"I guess we'll have to be more careful about deliveries, " the techie said.

Pete hadn't eaten in hours and started to roam the aisles, looking for a vending machine. How could an office space this big expect its workers not to have snacks? He reached for the first edition _Betty Crocker_ cookbook and when he touched a page with a picture of a hamburger on it, one appeared! Rather than be totally surprised by this occurrence, Pete devoured the food and kept poking his finger at the pictures – until he returned with a cart full of food.

"Breakfast!" he yelled as he wheeled the cart down the aisle.

"Coffee?" Jane asked, having gone too long without her elixir.

"Irish coffee," Pete said, because it seemed only the pictures produced the food.

"Today is one day I think I can drink on the job," Jane said, grabbing the mug and drinking the warm liquid.

"Where did you get this?" Eileen asked suspiciously.

"Beddy Cwocker," Pete said, his mouth full of food. Jane looked at him, but he shrugged his shoulders as if to ask what the big deal was.

"I love this guy," Jane admitted openly and leaned over and kissed him.

Myka and Helena returned to the group and stared at Pete's food card. "Have some," he offered, but there was no time.

There was a large jolt in the electrical charge that surrounded the portal from South Dakota. Everyone ran to the opening in time to see the tall, well-dressed man step through and stand there. "I wanted to thank all of you in person," Adwin said as if he had just walked through a door.

"Oh, thank God. I thought he was from the cafeteria or something," Pete said.

"Agen….Ms. Wells," the head Regent said, walking over to the group.

"I'm so glad I don't have to write up a report on this," Jane said, trying not to be fazed by the man's appearance.

"I am Mrs. Bering-Wells now," Helena said, and accepted the man's extended hand.

"I heard. Congratulations," he said, but he was looking at Myka now.

If the group thought the electrical current that the man had come through was loud, it was nothing compared to the storm that had found its way from the dust blown yard outside and through the front door.

"Get – away – from – her," came the booming voice and startled everyone, but Adwin Kosan.

"Oh, now you're in trouble," Jane said as she backed away from the oncoming woman.

Irene Frederic marched down the aisle with Steve behind her. The sheepish expression on his face told them that he had revealed exactly what he was asked not to.

"Dude!" Pete said as they passed.

"She used this …," Steve said, waving his hands around, "…Jedi Mind Trick thing, I think." This only confirmed Pete's declaration that her secret code name should be ' _Yoda'_.

Myka and Helena were surprised to see the HR Director there, and only slightly more stunned when she passed them right by and stood right in front of the head Regent, whom she recognized as the man in charge.

"Mr. Kosan, you were told _not_ to contact Helena. I don't know how you got her to agree to come here, but you're not keeping her," the woman who rarely raised her voice yelled up at him.

"They kidnapped Eileen," Claudia said, afraid of the woman, even though she wasn't being yelled at.

Irene turned to look at Helena who went to speak. Then Irene noticed the three men securely tied in the chair. "You sent your people to kidnap her? You lured Helena here?" she asked, taking a step closer to the man who stood there silently.

"Irene," Helena tried, but Mr. Kosan put his hand out to allow Irene to rant.

"Did they have you ….," Irene stammered to find the right word. " _Warehoused_?" she finally chose to see if Helena was under any influence.

"I would have said _abracadabra'd_ ," Jane said.

"No, Irene it was all in an effort to get me to help," Helena explained calmly, but that didn't help.

"You _manipulated_ her?" she shouted back at the man who understood where she was coming from.

"We were under pressure to gain Ms. Wells' help. She was the only one that could be trusted," Adwin finally explained.

"She saved like the whole place," Jane shouted, the whiskey in the coffee hitting her empty stomach. "Well, we helped, but they had rogue agents and crackling walls and things flying through. OH! And a smuggling ring. Don't forget the smuggling ring in Australia," Jane shouted now and Pete tried to take the coffee cup out of her hand.

"I've never seen her drunk," Myka whispered.

"I've never seen her more entertaining," Helena remarked.

It was all too confusing for Irene who was there to make sure no one was messing with her friends. "What did you do to her?" she asked of the detective.

"Alas, Mrs. Frederic, we cannot take credit for any of that," Adwin explained. "I assure you that we acted under duress and could not reach out through the agreed upon channels."

"Are you okay?" Irene finally asked Helena who assured her that they all were. Irene stared at Helena as if scanning her to notice if there was a hair out of place. "You're okay with what is going on?" she asked Myka. It took Myka a few seconds longer to say that she was.

Irene stared hard at the couple before she turned back to face the man in charge. And then the woman who never said a bad thing about anyone extended her neck and said - "I really don't like you people." Then she turned around to check on Eileen and Claudia.

Adwin raised an eyebrow and nodded to Helena. Even he acknowledged a force to be reckoned with when he met one. "Your former _One_ still serves you well, I see," he smiled to Helena. "We owe you a debt of gratitude," he finally said to everyone. "This will be the new location and a new team is being assembled as we speak. A new, more vigorous vetting system is being implemented," he assured them.

"Good, because _spin the wheel and pick an agent_ didn't really work for you guys," Claudia said.

"We had to make sure that Agent Wells was impulsive enough to save her own," the voice said and everyone looked at Kosan, but he wasn't the speaker. In spite of the rarity of this happening, the man never blinked. He knew if the Warehouse spoke, it was necessary.

"We would be happy to help your team secure this new location," Helena said. "I work with the best."

"We would appreciate that," Adwin admitted openly. He was the first to concede where they had failed. "And Helena? Thank you for not harming …," he said, looking over at the three agents that had been put to sleep. Adwin didn't even need the cuff links.

"I'm glad that we could help," Helena said and shook his hand. Myka didn't go near him. Irene just stared him down as they took their leave.

* * *

Helena told the group that she and Myka would catch up with them. Then, when the others were far down the tubal entrance, she took Myka's hand and went into the Warehouse.

"I am glad that we could help you. But you must understand that my devotion is outside these walls now. My life is with Myka and she will always come first in my heart and mind. I cannot do anything that she would not approve of or join me in," Helena spoke truthfully.

Tears welled in Myka's eyes upon hearing Helena's words.

"I hope you can forgive the drastic measures, Myka," the Warehouse said. "We will wait for your decision on a more direct line of communication should the need arise in the future." Myka knew she was being reminded.

"Helena and I will talk," is all Myka would say. She wasn't about to be pressured by something she wasn't entirely sure she trusted just yet.

Helena leaned over and kissed Myka and they started to walk outside.

"Oh, and congratulations, Helena," the Warehouse whispered in her ear.

Helena thought she was being congratulated on having the most wonderful _One_ in the world.

That wasn't it at all.

* * *

When the couple joined their friends outside, everyone was trying to decide on how they would go back. People were talking over one another when Claudia put her hand in her pocket and felt the box.

"I'll take Helena and Myka back," Pete was saying.

"I want to go in the helicopter," Jane was saying in a sing song voice, the Irish coffee cup drained of its contents.

"Everyone! Wait!" Claudia said as everyone gathered to see what she wanted.

She had been so afraid that something had happened to Eileen and was filled with a fear she had never known. She took Eileen's hands in hers and stared into the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. She cleared her throat and pulled on her jacket as the words formed in her head.

"Eileen, in the last twenty four hours, I went from planning our date to planning your rescue. Thinking that something happened to you, filled me with a fear I never want to feel again. I just can't imagine existing a single minute without you in my life," the techie said and a lump appeared in her throat.

Then in front of the people who meant the most to her, Claudia Donovan knelt on one knee, and opened the ring box and said;

"Eileen Wells Sullivan, you deserve someone who will be there for you always, love you without end, and treasure you always. I want to be that person if you let me."

Tears were already falling down Eileen's cheeks as she said - "Yes, yes, I will."

Claudia stood up as their friends cheered and Eileen pulled her fiancée in for a kiss.

The friends offered their congratulations and hugs as tears flowed for the young couple. It was suggested that the newest engaged couple take the helicopter back to Manhattan so they could tell Eileen's family.

"Splendid job," Helena said to Claudia. "I couldn't have done better myself." The techie beamed at the compliment before returning to her fiancee's side.

Steve said he would go back with Irene after finding the keys in Damien's rental car. "I'll return it for them," Steve said. Irene joined him, but not before she had a moment alone with Helena.

"You are okay? Nothing else going on here?" Irene asked, worried about her friend.

"You charged in there like a bull in a china shop," Helena tried to chastise her friend so the feelings wouldn't over take her.

"While I don't care for the visual comparison, I won't refute that my entrance was less than graceful," Irene conceded. "I would do it again."

Helena smiled at the woman who saw right through her. "And I would be counting on it."

* * *

Two hours later, Pete pulled up in front of the Townhouse and gently woke his bosses up. "Back home," he said softly, his fiancée asleep as well in the front seat.

"Thank you, Pete, for everything," Myka said and hugged him.

"We couldn't have done this without you," Helena said, hugging him and making the man blush.

Helena had no sooner stepped onto the sidewalk when Pete called out to her. "Boss? Where do you want me to put all of this?" he asked, peering into the opened trunk that had opened of its own accord.

"All of what?" Helena asked, unaware that the space was inhabited.

"All of these things?" Pete said and the couple walked over to the car and looked down at the objects in question.

There, in the trunk, were several items that had been carefully wrapped in bubble paper or packed in boxes – all labeled. Helena reached her hand in and took one of them in her hand.

' _Property of HG Wells - Time Machine Crystal'._

* * *

 _ **In the first installment "A Certain Heir" - Helena is unable to make the Time Machine work because of the missing crystal key. She always intended to get it back, but now it has been returned - as promised.**_


	22. Look to the Future

**Look to the Future**

Helena clutched the object and asked Pete to keep an eye on the rest of the contents until she gave him further instructions. She wasn't sure where to put these things just yet.

Myka waited until they were both in the hallway of the townhouse before asking her what the object was that was in her hand.

"A declaration of trust," Helena said eloquently, knowing that this was the missing piece to her Time Machine, which lay dormant upstairs in a locked room. It was the key – literally - to making the machine operational. She slowly unwrapped it and showed Myka, who thought it was a jeweled carafe top.

"I don't understand. They gave you ….," Myka wondered out loud.

"The ability to use my Machine," Helena said slowly. Myka noticed that Helena fondled the object with great affection.

"You mean….?" Myka questioned and looked upstairs in the direction of the room where it was housed.

"Yes," Helena said, never taking her eyes off the object, as her fingers caressed it. The last time she attempted to use her Machine, there was such a power surge that the entire borough of Brooklyn was thrown into darkness. Without the true key, the Machine only appeared to be functioning. The jolt of electricity used to power it had nowhere to go, causing a fire and sending Helena to the Emergency Room.

"Helena, why would they give this to you?" Myka wondered because she knew the Warehouse seemed to do things that only benefited them.

"As I said, Darling, I think it's a peace offering," Helena said, smiling and looking at Myka. Helena had been determined to get it back one day. It was, after all, hers. But like many things that came with her through the ages, the agency declared that possession was _nine tenths of the law._

"We can't keep it here," Myka declared rather firmly. She suddenly didn't agree with Helena that this was a generous offering of any kind. If she had to guess, and her gut instinct was doing that right now, she wondered if the Warehouse didn't want Helena to have the missing link closer – in order to use it.

"But I wouldn't….," Helena said looking up in the direction of her Machine. For Helena, it was more the principle.

"I don't care," Myka said, a little surprised that her concern found such a harsh tone. Her eyes darted back and forth as she tried to put her feelings into words. "Helena," she said, taking her wife by the arms and facing her. "….I don't think I'll ever _really_ trust these people….," and in that second she saw Helena wince just the slightest. "…..to put you first," she added, trying to soften the blow. "I'm sorry, but I don't feel that way about them. I think they …it…., might feel you are still in service to …them…..it."

"You heard me put that notion to rest, did you not? Helena asked and Myka wasn't surprised that she sounded defensive.

Helena was trusting of the Warehouse and Myka wasn't. Did that mean Myka didn't trust Helena? The longer Myka took to answer, the more the hurt bubbled up in her wife. "You don't trust that I would come to you before…..," and then it was Helena who couldn't complete her sentence. _Before what? Before she used it? Before she helped them?_ Her eyes moved swiftly to stare at Myka's and there was her answer – Myka's heartfelt concern and protectiveness for her. She was so used to being the one who swooped in to protect what was hers that she didn't always recognize when it was being done for her. Myka had just stood up to an unknown, powerful entity – to protect her.

Helena cast the crystal on the table and lunged at Myka to capture her in a kiss of undying gratitude. Myka's love for her surged through Helena's body – and traveled a path down and out until there wasn't a nerve ending that didn't feel it. "God, Myka, I do love you," Helena said, finally releasing Myka's lips that burned from the passionate touch. Myka slowly ran her tongue over her bottom lip to try to savor the kiss.

"I will always protect you, Helena," Myka said, staring into deep pools of gratitude. Long seconds passed as the two stared in each other's eyes and mouths opened, but no words escaped.

Finally, Helena spoke -

"We will find a safe place for it, away from here," she said and Myka felt the relief immediately.

Now Myka could concentrate at how gallant her spouse had been and how incredibly hot Helena looked in that leather jacket. "Am I to take it Mrs. Bering-Wells," Helena said as Myka pulled the coat open and left a trail of wet, warm kisses down Helena's neck, "….that you like me in this particular attire?"

Myka's head shot up and smoky green eyes made Helena's knees feel weak. "I like you _in it_ very much," the sultry voice said, sending shivers down Helena's spine. "I'd like you even better …out of it." Myka deftly snapped the leather covering over Helena's shoulders and held it there, making it impossible for Helena to move her arms as she was pulled in by her wife to a full lip kiss. "You are such….," Myka said in a breathy tone that Helena could feel on her lips, "…a badass."

It was hard to determine which lover was more turned on by that word – the one who uttered it, or the one it was said about. Both women grabbed each other's hand and raced up the stairs to their bedroom.

Leena approached from the kitchen area and heard the stomping of feet and laughter as the couple ascended the stairs. "I guess I'll just keep dinner warm," she murmured as she returned to the pantry.

* * *

Although Claudia had given a great deal of thought to how she was going to propose, neither woman gave too much thought to how they would announce it to the Sullivan's. After landing in Manhattan, they took a taxi to Brooklyn where Kathleen and John Sullivan had both just arrived home from work.

"How are you?" John said, rubbing his wife's shoulders that ached after a long day of nursing at the hospital.

"Oh, right there," Kathleen begged as she gave into the soothing ministrations of her husband's strong hands. He bent down and kissed her on the head and asked if he could help with dinner.

"Just leftovers," she announced as she put the water on for spaghetti. She pulled the tray of baked chicken parmesan from last night and put it in the over to reheat it. It was one of Eileen's favorite meals and she often sent a large helping of it into her daughter when John ' _happened'_ to stop by the Penthouse in Manhattan to fix something that didn't need fixing. The girls were great about visiting every Sunday for family dinner, but Kathleen knew it was hard on them to do so. Her daughter was taking graduate courses now at the premier business school, Wharton. She was in charge of more projects than Kathleen seemed to be able to count. Claudia always seemed to be involved in some new technology program at work. Would it be any easier, she wondered, when they were married? How can two people have a life if they're both wrapped up in one business? She shuddered to think how much of her daughter's life would be devoted to that job. She saw no parallel between her and John and the young couple.

"Surprise!" came the shout through the front door and John and Kathleen knew exactly who it was. They both went quickly to greet their daughter.

"Hello!" John said, hugging Claudia first because he never wanted her to feel second. "How are my girls? Everything okay at the apartment?" he asked, hoping something needed his attention.

"We're fine, Dad," Eileen smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

"I don't know, Eileen. I think the dishwasher is making …. _that_ noise," Claudia said and John's face lit up. He always wanted to take a crack at a dishwasher.

"No it's…," Eileen started to say, but caught the expression on her girlfriend's face. "Oh, yes, it's not…working right. You're right," she said, saving the ruse.

"Staying for dinner?" Kathleen asked, hoping they could.

"Mom, Dad," Eileen said and both parents knew from the glow on their daughter's face, the moment was here. They watched as she bit her lip – the telltale sign of sheer excitement in their daughter – and took Claudia's hands. She spoke to them, but she faced her fiancée and said; "Claudia just asked me to marry her and I said yes."

In spite of not being totally surprised, the parents rushed at the couple, circled them with their arms, and literally squished them in hug. The younger women were thrust together by the warm and loving embrace and Eileen had to ask her parents to let go a little.

"This is wonderful news," John Sullivan said as he put his arm around Claudia's shoulders. "Your mother and I couldn't be happier for you."

"Thanks, Dad," Eileen said, leaning into to hug the man who's eyes were filling up with tears.

"Tell me how it happened," Kathleen said, wanting to hear what creative scheme her future daughter-in-law did had finally come up with.

The two women locked eyes and they stared as they remembered that they hadn't quite worked out that part. "How?" Eileen asked. "It happened?" continued Claudia. "Oh, you know, how do any of these things happen?" Claudia stammered. "Yeah, the moment seemed right….," Eileen added.

Both of them knew their fabrications weren't working, but given who her parents were, the Sullivan's smiled and waited. Their daughter would get around to explaining things, they both knew.

"I'm getting the champagne," John announced and got everyone back on track.

Within minutes, the four _Waterford_ crystal glasses that were only taken out for holidays and special occasions were filled with the bubbly elixir. "To Claudia and Eileen, - May the road rise up to meet you," the man began the quintessential Irish blessing, "May the wind always be at your back; May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains soft upon your fields and until we meet again; May God hold you in the palm of His hand."

There wasn't a dry eye in the house by the time the rosy cheeked man finished the blessing. Then he lifted up his glass with the others and everyone took a sip. There was another round of hugs and John Sullivan promised to reword the prayer to include something about computer programs never getting viruses – just for his future daughter-in-law.

Then the newly engaged couple sat down to dinner. Claudia was pleasantly surprised her future in-laws didn't ask a single question about the where, when and how of the impending nuptials. They would never pressure them like that.

* * *

The young couple laughed when they got home over their faux pas of nearing spilling the beans. "I'm not sure how I would have explained that," Eileen said, getting very serious. "I mean, I'm probably going to tell them, but tonight wasn't the time."

"You're going to tell them…that government agents …kidnapped you…. and took you upstate and used you as bait. You're going to tell your mother that? All so some…. strange ….," Claudia said, looking around as if checking to see if anyone else was there, "…something could get Helena to come up there? You're going to tell _Kathleen Sullivan_ that?" Claudia asked incredulously. "Where will we hide when she comes to the office to speak to Helena?"

"Oh," the woman who was staring at her engagement ring said, looking up. "Good point."

"I do not want to get caught between those two," Claudia said, already worried what would happen when Kathleen spent any amount of time with Helena.

"Nor do I," Eileen said, keenly aware that the subject of _Helena Wells_ was still a sore one for her mother.

"Let's save that for another day," Claudia said, grabbing two Jello cups from the refrigerator that now held only a container of milk. "Besides, we have more important things to do."

"Like decide which side of the aisle Helena is going to sit at?" Eileen teased as she scooped a blob of cherry gelatin and spoon fed it to her fiancée.

"I was thinking more….," Claudia said, spooning some blue Jello and feeding it to Eileen, "…what to break on the dishwasher. Have we ever used it?"

Eileen laughed so hard that she had to cover her mouth so the slippery contents didn't spill. That's when she noticed the oddest sensation in her mouth. "Whah ez da esperation dat on dis?" she asked about the snack food.

Claudia looked at the cover and read the date – exactly two years past the _use by_ date. "Where did we get this?" Eileen asked after she and the techie spit out the contents in the sink.

"Remember when you asked me to move in here with you? And you said pack everything up because we didn't need two apartments? Well, I packed everything!" Claudia said, shrugging her shoulders.

If there was anyone who could be more lovable while looking sheepish, Eileen didn't know them. "Thank you for making me the happiest woman in the world," Eileen said, putting her arms around Claudia's neck and touching her forehead to hers.

This life event was making a whole lot of emotions swirl inside for the techie and she was getting a little overwhelmed. She was happy, scared, madly in love and walking into something she knew nothing about. Shouldn't someone have prepared her for this? Shouldn't someone have told her to get ready for the flood of feelings?

Shouldn't …..Helena?

She was going to have to take that up with her first thing in the morning.

* * *

Pete and Jane were a little surprised to see Officer Bell, the police officer assigned to Jane, sitting on the steps to the entrance of their apartment. Jane didn't recognize her at first, because she wasn't in her uniform. But when she saw Jane approach, she shot up and stood at attention.

"Bell?" Jane asked, staring at her hair that was still tied back tightly in a bun. "What are you…" she started to ask, but the young woman was already speaking.

"Detective Tierney, I am sorry to disturb you at home, but when you didn't come into work today and it wasn't on the official calendar, I thought something might have happened. Then the news came in about the smuggling ring that you busted….," the woman said, almost out of breath.

"News travels fast," Jane said to Pete.

"…..and I thought it odd that you didn't tell me about it and I thought maybe it was because I'm not doing my job the way you want …and I ….," but that was all the woman could get out without taking in any more air.

"Bell!" Jane said, surprised at the woman's diatribe. "Sit down, take a deep breath," the older woman said and sat next to her young charge on the top step. "Where did you get this idea? Never mind. It's nothing like that. I took ….the day …..off because ..," Jane said, looking at Pete for help.

"Because we got engaged!" Pete said and Jane smiled broadly at what a good answer that was.

"See?" Jane said, shoving her ringed finger in the youth's face.

"Oh, congratulations," the twenty something said flatly. "I mean, that's nice." She shoved her hands in her pockets and looked down the block. "I guess I should be going…," she said, but didn't move.

Pete looked at the woman, trying to figure out what was going on. His vibes told him she was sad, but at what? He jerked his head towards her telling Jane to do something.

"I'm ….eh….going to have a lot of paperwork to do tomorrow. I…hope you're going to be free…you know …to assist me on that," she fumbled, trying to guess what would help.

"Really?" Bell said, her intonation conveying that she was actually excited at the thought.

Pete stared at her because he couldn't imagine anything more boring, but Jane knew what it really meant to the young officer. "Yeah, lots of it so …you know….show up at eight with two coffees, okay?" Jane asked, trying to sound stern but missing by a mile.

"I will, Detective," the off duty officer said, snapping back at attention and then going down the steps, wearing a brand new attitude. "And congratulations. You're a lucky man."

With that, the woman practically ran down the block to prepare for her work day tomorrow.

"She is wound a little tight," Jane said, smiling..

"I think she likes you," Pete said and understood why. Like him, Bell saw through the tough exterior that his fiancée wore like armor.

"I don't get it," Jane said as she and Pete went into their building.

* * *

Adwin Kosan should have been exhausted by the past few days, but he stood there tall in a suit that looked as if he never sat down in it. He had released his three agents and using the very cuff links that had been given to Damien, he convinced them they had never been there, nor seen what they did. They wouldn't remember the trip to Manhattan, the kidnapping of Eileen, the apartment on Sutton Place, nor visiting the Warehouse. He had them driven to the nearest train station and they were all on their way back to Washington, DC. Then he returned to South Dakota, taking the short cut and spoke to Andy who masterminded the plan. Andy begged his boss to remember that the Warehouse had never communicated with them directly before. Adwin took this into consideration when he sentenced Andy – to move to the new location and temporarily oversee the Warehouse.

"Sure, I don't mind missing my vacation…again," Andy said, hoping Kosan didn't hear the last part. He had.

"The Warehouse staff is …in flux, Mr. Nelson," Adwin explained.

"Won't the Caretaker…be back….?" Andy asked, already packing his desk up.

"Yes, she will. But we have been asked to plan for …the future. The possibilities," Adwin shared and Andy detected some hesitation in his voice. He usually didn't share many detains and those he did, were usually bullet points.

"The future….. like next week?" Andy asked, fishing for details.

Adwin had said enough and he knew it. He tilted his head, smiled and proceeded to walk down the long tunnel out of the building to his car.

Andy returned to his desk and packed up the last of his things before heading out. He listened to the constant humming outside the room which indicated the move to the new location was in full swing. Maybe his boss was talking about the new staff. Maybe he would get to retire after all. He sat back down at the desk and typed the question he thought would give him that answer.

"How long will it take," he typed with two fingers.

The answer appeared on the screen. Andy looked, squeezed his eyes shut and looked again. That can't be right, he thought as he grabbed his beaten up brief case and a bankers box. "I'm going to need a vacation before that!" Andy bellowed as he walked down the entryway.

There on the screen was what had him so bothered. The answer to how long it would take to get the person the Warehouse wanted -

 _\- Nine months, eighteen years._


	23. The Pregnant Pause

**Guest: Excellent point - but in this story, I can only manage one sibling for Claudia so don't worry about the dual names. lol  
**

 **Trying to move the story line along AND of course give each event their due - so let me know if this flows.  
Many thanks to everyone reading along - and to those who post and send messages. I do appreciate it. **

* * *

**The Pregnant Pause**

Myka and Helena didn't speak about the crystal, or the Warehouse, again that night. Knowing that it caused Myka concern, Helena did the only logical thing she could think of - The next morning, she brought it to Irene for safe keeping.

"What is this?" Irene asked when Helena placed the item in front of her on the desk. Helena could tell by the way Irene stared at it suspiciously that she wasn't about to take it without question.

"I need you to keep it for me, in a safe place," Helena said, hoping that would cover it.

"Where did you get it?" the woman asked, staring at it, but not touching it.

"What does it matter where I got it? It's something of value and I wish for you to keep it," Helena said exasperated.

"Okay," Irene said, finally picking it up and placing it in her flat handbag.

"Do you carry anything else in there?" Helena wondered because she couldn't understand how a woman could have such a smooth handbag and wondered if the woman only carried it for show.

"Everything I need," Irene answered, much to Helena's chagrin.

* * *

Things seemed to return to normal and no one in the group mentioned the impromptu visit to the Warehouse again. Pete and Jane were busy making their plans and Claudia and Eileen were trying to find the time between school and work, to talk about theirs. Claudia did share with Helena that even though she was thrilled to pieces that Eileen said yes, she didn't often trust her feelings which seemed to rush at her. Helena asked her if she could swim and when Claudia affirmed that she could, the Brit asked how she managed the waves at the ocean. The techie stared up at the ceiling, then answered that she moved under them and then allowed them to carry her back to shore. Then Helena offered what sounded like empirical evidence. She affirmed that her experience with emotions was that it took the same skill set as swimming. "Go with them, Claudia. Fighting them is what causes one to drown," her mentor explained. "I might need help….you know…with all of this," the younger woman admitted. Helena gave the empathic response that helped Claudia the most: "It's okay. We all do."

In Claudia's eyes, if Helena admitted she needed help with something, then it was perfectly fine for her to admit it, too. She rushed at Helena and hugged her. "Thanks, Helena," Claudia said, feeling like Helena was the closest thing to family she had felt in years. While Eileen had dozens of people to announce the engagement to, Claudia only had her brother, Joshua in Switzerland.

* * *

Now that Jane Lattimer was retired from the Warehouse and back working as an early education teacher, Pete felt comfortable enough to share his mother's history with his fiancée. Maybe it was the natural order of things that Jane would have some trepidation about her future mother-in-law, but Pete was beginning to suspect it had more to do with the way the former Regent had treated Helena. The one upside to the whole Warehouse escapade for Pete was the new found respect Jane had for Helena. That made Pete's life a whole lot easier.

* * *

Three weeks to the day, Helena and Myka took the Early Pregnancy Test kit out and opened it. The test showed positive, as Myka prayed and Helena knew it would. There was something different about Myka and she could see it, even if she couldn't explain it. Helena dropped to her knees and placed her head in Myka's lap as she sat on the bed. "We did it, Myka," she said and Myka could feel the tears fall from her wife's eyes. "You're going to have our baby."

What brought great joy to the couple also brought concern. How would they explain this to the world? They didn't want the child to be treated as a test case, which surely the press and public would do when suspicions arose. There would, of course, be speculation of a sperm donor. Myka soothed Helena's fiery response to that and they finally agreed that they would not answer any questions, telling the press and public it was a private matter.

They did however share the news with the friends who had gathered at the townhouse for dinner. After they enjoyed a sumptuous meal and drinks, Helena stood up.

"It gives Myka and me the greatest joy to announce that we are expecting," she said and everyone rose to their feet for congratulatory hugs. Irene waited her turn and when she hugged Helena, tears began to stream down her face. "I have been waiting for this day," whispered the woman who knew Helena the longest.

Bridget would have screamed the loudest, if it hadn't been for Pete who jumped out of his chair and into the air, yelling – "YES!" "I'll teach him or her sports cause let's face it, I'm the one to do that," he said, puffing out his chest.

"Oh, yes, Uncle Pete, every toddler should know how to wrestle," Claudia teased him and then said she would be in charge of teaching the baby technology.

"You do know what her mother does, right?" Eileen whispered about the great Inventor, but Claudia dismissed that saying there would be no way Helena could raise a kid _and_ keep up with the changes to her IPhone.

"Well, there goes our wild Friday nights of drinking and clubbing," Bridget bemoaned and when Myka reminded her they rarely ever did that, the punch line came: "Yes, I know, and _yet-_ we're still friends."

Then she said she wanted to give the Baby Shower and all but had Sarah start designing a line of baby clothes. "Something cute, but not something that will get her ass kicked the first day of kindergarten," Bridget said.

Helena approached Vanessa Calder – again. "If you won't switch to obstetrics," Helena said, renewing her plea and noting how stubborn she was for a doctor, "….you should give pediatrics some thought." It made the good doctor think about what was about to be unleased on her fellow healthcare providers, whoever they were. She would later slip Irene a piece of paper before she left. "We need to talk about this," she said to Irene who wondered what part the doctor thought she had in all of this. "This woman can help," Vanessa said adamantly. Irene looked at the slip of paper that had the name of an RN on it. "We'll talk," the doctor said and patted Irene's hand sympathetically. The friends all left that evening and although there was no formal consensus, each one was about do their part to help the expecting couple.

Helena sat next to Myka as they called her parents. "We have good news," Myka said and explained that they were expecting. Jeanie and Warren were overjoyed and immediately offered to stay with them when the baby arrived. Myka was very glad they were on Facetime because the expression on Helena's face would have spoken volumes.

In all the excitement, Helena conveniently forgot to mention ( _again_ ) the issue Leena had reminded her about ( _again_ ) before she left for the weekend. _Funny, how the mind protects us by blocking certain things._ The couple was busy talking and planning for the future, the past was not really on their minds. Which is why the subject of the Warehouse was nowhere on their landscape.

It was however, filling up their basement.

* * *

Over in Queens, a short distance away from Manhattan, Irene was still experiencing some trouble with the package Helena had already given away. As soon as Irene brought it home, the family dog, Bandit started growling and fussing about over the thing. Irene decided that maybe it was emitting a sound undetectable to humans. So, she placed it in her mother's cedar hope chest in the spare bedroom, closed the door and forgot about it.

Bandit, on the other hand, did not.

Weeks after giving her the package, Irene walked into Helena's office and did something she rarely did – she interrupted a meeting. "I apologize, Mr. Styles," Irene said to Morgan and her sincerity struck the man. He was just finishing up with his new boss when Irene walked in on them.

"I'm sorry, Morgan," Helena said, "But if she doesn't get her way, she gets incredibly testy."

Morgan smiled, but never allowed his disbelief to show on his face. In the short time he had been at Wells Corp as an employee, he knew who could be testy at the drop of a hat. "Of course," he said, taking his leave.

"I believe this belongs to you," Irene said, putting the crystal key on Helena's desk.

Helena stared down at it and then at the woman who just delivered it to her. Irene was agitated about something. "Curiosity got to you?" she asked because the object had been wrapped up securely in bubble wrap.

"The only thing that I was curious about was why Bandit reacted to this thing the minute I brought it into the house," Irene said.

"Curiosity got the….. dog?" Helena said, knowing the idiom didn't work. "That's rather odd."

"Well, I put it away in a cedar chest, in the spare bedroom, but apparently he finally figured out how to open the door knob," Irene said because she found the door wide open.

"Clever dog," Helena remarked.

"Yes, and determined, because while I was at work, he managed to get in the room, figured out where it was, and tore everything apart to get at it. Doesn't that strike you as ….odd, Helena?" Irene said, leaning into the desk a little now. Helena couldn't escape the stare even if she wanted to.

"Odd?" Helena asked, which she shouldn't have. She picked it up and felt the dried slime of saliva. "He put it in his mouth?" she asked horrified and dropping it back on the desk.

"No opposable thumbs," Irene reminded her about canines.

"Whatever has you cranky?" Helena asked, taking note of the woman's tone.

It made Irene stop, sit back and take notice herself. She could even sense her impatience at the moment. And then the woman who always had an answer did something that surprised Helena; she hesitated. "I….," she started, looking at her friend. "Don't trust them."

"Them?" Helena asked, for clarification.

"Those people you worked with. That's it, Helena. I don't trust them," Irene said, pulling on her suit jacket and sitting back in the chair, now that it was settled. Ever since she found out about Myka being pregnant, Irene became even more suspicious of the timing of the reconnection.

"You and Myka both, I'm afraid," Helena said, sighing.

"Oh good," Irene said, glad to be in such good company, but then noticing Helena's glare. "I mean, you can't blame us, Helena."

"Of course I can, but I shan't. I understand Myka's position, but yours is a puzzle," Helena wondered out loud. "You have rarely demonstrated a discriminating taste in people before."

"You know that I am, in part responsible, for hiring your staff, yes?" Irene reminded her boss.

"In part," Helena said, enjoying the tete a tete more than she would admit. "Well, suffice it to say, I appreciate your concern, although as I explained to Myka, I don't think this situation has warranted it."

"That brings us back to this…thing," Irene said, pointing to the crystal. "What is it?" she asked again.

Helena smiled, as her eyes fell adoringly upon the key. She picked it up slowly this time and used a tissue to wipe it off. "This, my dear Mrs. Frederic, is the device that allows the Time Machine to become fully operational." Helena said it with such pride and admiration, that it took Irene a moment to grasp what she was talking about. Irene remembered all too well what happened when Helena last tried to use the contraption.

She drew a deep breath and noticed Helena's gaze had not broken. She could almost see the twinkling in Helena's eyes – the one she knew meant the woman was very proud of her invention. And then Irene asked the question she might have asked from the beginning, but didn't think it was necessary. "Tell me, Helena, why aren't you keeping this at your house?" She expected the answer to take a minute so she sat back in her chair and crossed her legs. Helena read the body language accurately – she wasn't budging until she got a satisfactory answer.

"Well…. I…we…..decided…..," Helena floundered, hoping to find the answer that would stop the certain deluge of additional questions.

"Myka doesn't want it there?" Irene guessed and picked at an imaginary piece of lint on her skirt. She may not have been looking directly at her boss, but she felt her eyes look up and lock onto her.

"She never said _that_ …" Helena tried, but Irene added – "You mean …directly."

Before Helena could form her next sentence, Irene was already asking her why she thought the people returned it to her and what, if anything, did they want in exchange for it?

"What do they want? No," Helena said, her accent wrapped around each word individually. "It's a gesture of ….of good will." Helena was having trouble deciding on whether to be cooperative or defensive and defensive won. "I helped them out. Myka explained that she was less than charmed by their deeds and asked for them to return my things. They did. I don't see what the issue is here," Helena said, and meant it.

Irene considered the explanation and found it to be slightly plausible. Perhaps they were complying with Myka's request because they knew there wouldn't get anywhere with Helena without Myka's consent. Irene stared across the desk at Helena who genuinely seemed confused why no one could believe the gesture for what it was. "Okay, Helena," Irene said and slowly reached across the desk and retrieved the crystal key. "I don't think this is something that should be lying around in a hope chest though."

"No, you're right," Helena said. "Do you have a safe in your house?"

"No, I have never really had need for one," Irene said, her few heirlooms kept in a safe deposit box at the bank.

"Well, it would seem now you do. I'll take care of that," Helena assured her friend who was once again the _Time Machine's_ Custodian.

Irene stood up with the object in her hand and was about to leave when she turned back to her friend. "Do be careful with them, Helena," she couldn't help but say to express her concern.

"When am I ever _not_ careful?" Helena asked and Irene smiled and begged God to keep her tongue silent.

* * *

By the time Irene got home that night, she could hear the banging and drilling from her front steps. She opened the door to find Bandit sitting there, wagging his tale. Then Sui, decked in a white half apron, came into the living room. "Sui?" she asked, but he couldn't hear her. "Dinner in five," he mouthed because he thought she was asking about it. Then he took Bandit into the other room. With that, a large burly man came up out of the basement and said he was done and would show the person in charge how to use the safe now. There was dust all over the floor as Irene reluctantly made her way downstairs.

"This here is your biometric safe, ma'am," the Wells installer said and Irene came to a halt on the stairway. The massive container was against the wall in her modestly finished basement and was, by far, the largest thing in the area – perhaps in her whole house.

"Now, this uses a combination retinal scanner, finger print and voice scanner so if you would step over here, ma'am, I'll get you set up," the man instructed Irene. After helping Irene place her eye near the scanner, her initial fingerprint scanned into the reader and her voice recorded, he packed up his stuff.

"We had to take the door off the side of your house, ma'am, but we put everything back, good as new," he explained before he left and Irene thanked him as she looked at the monstrosity in her house. Then she heard Bandit barking upstairs and remembered her pocketbook. She came upstairs to find the canine, his hair standing up on his back, teeth bared as he growled at the purse.

"I've never seen him to that," Sui admitted curiously.

"It's okay," she said, calling him over and reassuring him that the contents of her bag were safe. He immediately sat down and looked up at her, eyebrows twitching just a bit. "Well, no, I don't know that for certain," she admitted as she took the object out, took it downstairs, and placed it in the safe. The door to the safe was so heavy that Irene pushed it with both hands. "Why on earth did she have to order the biggest one?" she asked out loud and then stopped when the answer came to her.

 _Were there other things that Helena wanted Irene to keep for her?_

* * *

When Helena and Myka got home that evening, Myka went immediately upstairs to change. Leena came into the hallway just as Myka closed the door to their bedroom.

After greeting Helena, the Domestic Director asked her if she figured out where she wanted to put all the things that had ' _arrived'_. Leena could tell by Helena's grimace and peeking upstairs that she had not.

"You still haven't told Myka?" Leena inquired, finding it odd that Helena would hesitate.

"I …..haven't found the right moment," Helena said, looking up to make sure the bedroom door was closed.

"Well, you might want to decide because the boxes keep arriving," Leena said. She simply wanted to know where to put all these packages that seemed to arrive each day.

"I will…tonight," Helena said, thinking Myka might be in a better mood after a nice shower.

Helena wasn't worried about telling Myka that her other personal belongings were arriving from the Warehouse. She was concerned about telling Myka that they were being sent via the Wells personal underground transportation system.

It seemed the Warehouse somehow made a tunnel connecting itself to the townhouse location – and Helena couldn't imagine Myka would be happy about that.


	24. The Past, the Present, the Future

**The Past, the Present and the Future**

Helena waited for Myka to come out of the bathroom and see that she had laid out Myka's favorite clothes she wore when she wanted to relax. There on the bed, were Myka's pink sweatpants and her gray University of Colorado t-shirt that Helena, on more than one occasion, questioned how she could wear. So, the fact that these very clothes were waiting for her – put there by a woman who rarely hung up her own clothes – made the lawyer a _little_ curious.

"Thank you," Myka said, as she toweled herself off under the careful gaze of Helena, sitting on the bedroom couch attentively.

"No trouble a'tall," Helena said, as her head rested on her hand with her legs crossed. She watched as Myka slipped on her clothes and bent forward, sending a cascade of curls flying as she dried her hair.

"We have the appointment tomorrow with the ob/gyn doctor," Myka said after she smoothed out her tousled hair and sat on the bed, patting the space next to her. That typically would result in Helena rushing to Myka's side to sit down, but tonight, she stood up and didn't move.

The Brit was afraid of ruining the mood and wasn't sure what to say, so she said _nothing_. Myka's skill in reading guilty parties helped her to see the hesitancy in Helena's expression.

"What time?" Helena finally asked, even though she knew the exact time.

"Still three o'clock," Myka said and now she was sure something was up. "Are you okay, sweetie? You seem … _distracted_ ," she finally chose.

Helena abhorred distraction, especially when it interfered with her own attention. "No, darling," Helena started, but quickly added …, "Perhaps a bit."

"Why don't you tell me what's got you….," Myka was suggesting when Helena couldn't take it anymore.

She paced a little, then turned to Myka and almost shouted: "My things are in the basement," she said, throwing her hands up as if surrendering. "…..from the Warehouse," she added when she realized the first statement made no sense.

"Good," Myka said, thinking the organization was making good on its promise to release Helena's things. "I didn't think they'd want a court order," Myka said, pushing the pillows up behind her and sitting back on the bed. She was actually feeling good about that because she had protected Helena, and gotten her things back.

Helena stared as she contemplated if she had said enough. Myka looked happy, she was happy – why spoil it? She sat down on the bed and when Myka reached to rub her foot, Helena immediately volunteered to take over. She sat there massaging Myka's right foot as Myka drifted off to heaven. "Oh, that feels soooo good," she moaned.

Helena was more than happy to soothe her wife's aches.

"What did they send you?" Myka asked because she was curious what things of Helena's did they have.

' _Bloody hell, we're back on that_?' Helena thought when the question broke her reverie, but didn't say. "Oh, my books, some photos, several of my inventions," Helena listed and Myka noted that the more she talked, the harder she squeezed her foot.

"Like what? What inventions?" Myka asked out of curiosity, trying not to grimace at the suddenly heavy handedness.

"Like what?" Helena asked, and then answered, "Oh, the grappling hook I invented. I told you about that, didn't I, Darling?" and Myka nodded _yes_ , she had. Myka pulled herself up in the bed a little because Helena was unaware of how much she was pulling on her foot now. "And the tesla gun. Which is quite safe, but I will give it to Irene to hold."

"You're going to…..arm, Irene? I am not sure that's a good idea," Myka tried to tease as Helena finally dropped her foot and grabbed the other and began the same heavy pressing into the sole of her foot.

"I got her a safe," Helena said unaware of the tangent she was going off on now. "State of the art, although I doubt she appreciates that. She can house anything we wish not to be here. Well, the rocket won't fit in the safe, but it's not armed so we can store it here," she blathered on.

"The ….rocket?" Myka said, getting concerned about the weaponry that was going to be in close proximity.

"I invented one with James Eddington," Helena reported as she looked up at the ceiling. For a second, Myka mistook that look in Helena's eyes for affection for the man, but Helena quickly added, "It was bloody brilliant. But it's not functional and is, I'm afraid, in pieces."

Myka thought that erased the jealous flair that flashed in her eyes, but it was still there when Helena looked at her. It was dawning on Myka that as Helena's past came back in boxes and cartons, so too, would her past life. A life that Myka had trouble grasping given the distance of time and place.

"Myka?" Helena asked when the look lingered.

"I …think …I feel... jealous," Myka pieced together.

"Of a rocket?" Helena asked incredulously. "None of my inventions could ever …"

"Of James Eddington," Myka said, slightly embarrassed that she had to name the object of her envy.

"James? Oh, Myka!" Helena said, shocked that Myka would feel this about someone so long ago. Then she realized time does not really matter with affairs of the heart. She took Myka's hands in hers and kissed them as she slid up next to Myka's side. "Darling, my ….longevity presents a rather odd position in that I have two life times of …," and Helena coughed now, "….two lifetimes," she repeated. "But there is no one …in either life, that can ever compare with you," Helena said sweetly.

Myka felt both foolish and relieved as Helena leaned in, bowed her head and placed it on Myka's chest gently, placing her arms on either side. "But you loved Christina's father," Myka heard as her heart spoke its concern. Helena raised her head to look at Myka.

"I loved Nicolas, yes, but we both knew we were more in love with each other's genius, than with the whole person. We never married for that reason," Helena said and there was no bitterness in her memory.

"I'm sorry, Helena, I shouldn't have…," Myka tried to apologize, but Helena wouldn't let her. She sat up and put her finger softly on Myka's lips.

"I always want to hear what you're thinking and feeling, Myka," Helena said, placing her hand on Myka's beating heart. "No matter what it is."

Myka grabbed Helena's other hand and brought it to her cheek and squeezed it. "Okay," she said, feeling better that she could share with Helena how vulnerable she felt.

"Perhaps…..," Helena said, thinking she could take care of everyone's concerns," … I should share some things with you and Irene that might help put your minds at ease about the Warehouse."

"Irene is very concerned. She marched in there like….," Myka said, smiling at how protective the woman was.

"Like a bull in a china shop," Helena finished the thought. "I told her so."

"That woman would do anything for you," Myka said, the warm smile reappearing on her face.

'Yes, yet, she manages to do it in the most annoying manner," Helena fibbed. "I do hope she's better at grandparenting," the words out of her mouth without thought.

"That of course would make her… _your_ parent," Myka teased and Helena's eye grew wide in protest.

"Don't be …that's not…she's old enough to be a grandmother, that's what I meant. And who else will babysit? We trust no one else."

"Speaking of trust, sweetie," Myka said, looking at Helena so innocently that it made the Brit open her mouth, but she remained wordless. "This doctor comes highly recommended by Dr. Calder, so let's give her a chance."

"Of course we will," Helena said, smiling. "As long as she does everything the way I tell her to."

' _Maybe we can get Irene to babysit tomorrow_ ,' Myka thought, but didn't say.

* * *

The next morning, Helena informed Leena that she had told Myka all about the mysterious deliveries and that Steve and Pete would be there in the afternoon to install new shelving for many of the articles. When Leena suggested that Helena should just open up an _HG Wells_ museum, the genius, who hadn't thought of that, told her that it was a brilliant idea and put her in charge of finding a location.

And she gave her a raise. "I have no idea what you make," Helena confessed, "But I want it doubled. Now, who do I tell?"

She was so excited with telling Myka the museum idea, that the explanation of how the items were arriving, once again, slipped her mind.

* * *

 **Wells Corp...**

"How would you like to be a docent?" Helena asked Irene because the honor should be given to someone who deserved it.

"Before or after I come here?" Irene asked, sitting down in front of Helena's desk where she was summoned.

"Any time really. What kind of museum dedicated to the _Time Traveler_ would it be if it weren't opened twenty-four seven?" Helena wondered out loud.

"Oh, that's good. I was afraid I would have to choose," Irene said in response.

Helena's brow furrowed as she tried to decide if Irene was being facetious. "Please come tonight at seven," Helena segued into her other plans.

"I'm starting already?" Irene asked with feigned enthusiasm.

"No!" Helena asked, wondering why the woman couldn't keep up. "To dinner at my house."

"What makes you think I'm free?" Irene asked, almost laughing when Helena rolled her eyes to say 'as if'. "It would be my pleasure. What can I bring?"

Helena stopped what she was doing and folded her hands in front of her, looking at her friend. "You may bring an open mind, Irene. And leave whatever this tone was …," she said, swirling her finger in the air, "…because I need you to help Myka feel comfortable with …the ….Warehouse," Helena said, the last word in the smallest size font her voice could find.

"Comfortable with the ….? Me?" Irene asked, wondering how Helena thought she was on her side.

"Have you had your morning coffee? Switched to decaf without permission?" Helena asked, exasperated that she had to explain things twice. "Yes, she's feeling ….less than …," Helena searched for the right word and Irene was right there with …

"…Trusting? Credulous? Unsuspecting?" Take your pick," Irene said before Helena could say anything.

Helena drew in a deep breath, amazed at how patient she could be with this woman. It really was a credit to her self-discipline, she thought. The woman could easily throw mere mortals off track with her constant interrupting. "Once I have explained to you …some things….I am confident that Myka will feel differently and you will be able to support her in that choice because you will feel that way, too. It's really very simple," Helena said, and her expression read – " _Really simple, so please try to grasp it_!"

"I will do my best," Irene said, because she really did want to hear Helena's side to all of this.

"Well, I guess that will have to do," Helena replied.

"I'll see you at three," Irene said, getting up and taking her leave to go back to the job she did when Helena wasn't telling her what to do.

"I have an appointment at three," Helena said, looking at her phone.

"Yes, I know," Irene responded, having spoken to Myka that morning and agreeing to come with them – just in case. With that, the woman closed the door and left.

Helena immediately got on the phone to Myka to ask her if she had asked Irene to join them. "Yes," Myka admitted. "I thought …we'd feel better….having a …seasoned person with us."

"Her parenting season is closer to the Ice Age, darling," Helena said, but Myka asked if she wouldn't mind and of course, Helena said she didn't.

Anything Myka wanted …Helena wanted.

* * *

The appointment time rolled around and all three women went in the car to the Midtown location of the doctor's office. Helena entered the waiting room, aghast at the number of people already there. The receptionist recognized her immediately and was more than cordial when she handed Helena a clip board with several pieces of papers to complete and sign. Helena looked at the papers, then the woman, and then it dawned on her. _This is why Myka had asked Irene to come_!

"Here," Helena said, handing the clip board to Irene as she sat down. In spite of the how well Helena was acclimated to the 21st century, there were still things that evaded her good senses. Waiting in a doctor's office was one of them.

When Helena got up to carefully inspect the documents on the wall which showed the physician's educational background, Irene leaned over to Myka. "I can't very well go into the examination room, Myka. How is it that I'm going to help?"

"I want…someone…here…," Myka said and bit her lip at the thought. "In case they ask Helena…to leave."

"Ohhh," Irene said, the possibility quite real.

In spite of Helena's blatant huffing and puffing when someone was called ahead of them, Myka had to wait her turn. "I think as things progress, we should set up a time when there are fewer patients," Irene suggested to Myka.

The receptionist apologized that the doctor was running so late, but Helena assured her there was no need to apologize and she would take that up with her personally.

Irene looked at Myka. "I'll keep her seat warm," she whispered.

* * *

Helena had every intention of mentioning the long wait, but when they went into the smaller waiting room, the nurse was there taking blood pressure and weighing Myka. Then she told her to put on a paper gown and announced the doctor would be right in.

"She's not making a very good impression," said the woman about to make a poor one herself.

"I'm sure she's very busy. She's very good, remember. Highly recommended from Vanessa?" Myka tried again.

"You mean - from the woman who _married_ Artie," Helena said, smiling indicating that wasn't a ringing endorsement.

Just then the doctor entered the room and introduced herself. Gwendolyn Stone smiled broadly and shook Myka's hand. "How are you feeling?" she asked and Helena was still staring at her.

"How _old_ are you?" Helena asked, having mistaken her youthful look for inexperience.

The woman laughed out loud, because it was a question she had gotten before. "I've delivered hundreds of babies in my fifteen years of practice," she assured the suspecting woman.

"I can't imagine we'll have time to contact that many people," Helena said, truthfully.

Myka smiled at Helena and then at the doctor. "Helena's skeptical ….of _American_ healthcare," was all she could come up with to explain her wife's behavior.

"Well, I promise you, Mrs. Bering-Wells, we do it just as well as the Brits; we just charge more for it," the woman said, trying to lighten the mood. She was met with a dead stare. She instructed Myka to lie back on the table so that she could examine her – all done – under the very careful watch of her wife. Then she told her everything looked good and asked her to lie back on the table.

"Okay, now I'm going to use some gel for the sonogram, Mrs. Bering-Wells," the doctor said, speaking to Myka. Myka winced as the doctor squirted the cold substance on her abdomen and Helena reached across and grabbed tube from the doctor…gently.

"Haven't you thought of a way to warm this up before subjecting people?" Helena asked, trying to calm.

"I know! You would think someone would invent that, wouldn't you?" the doctor exclaimed.

"I'll have one for you by the next visit, _if_ there is a next visit," Helena said, and Myka reached out and took her hand. Helena's glare immediately softened as she focused on Myka.

"Okay, there we are," the doctor said as the screen in front of them showed the gestational sac – the first image of the life they were creating. The appearance was the proof of what Myka and Helena already knew and yet, the visual image made tears well up in their eyes.

"Pretty amazing, eh?" the doctor commented, because this exact scene played out in her office all the time.

"Doctor, you have no idea," Helena said, as she touched Myka's stomach gently and squeezed her hand. "You have no idea."

* * *

 **Hello and many thanks for your posts. I hope you don't tire of me thanking you because I never tire of  
reading your comments and thoughts - especially as we weave a Warehouse story line with the Heir story line.  
**


	25. Whispers From the Past

**Whispers From the Past**

Irene watched as the women emerged from the doctor's examination room, joy written all over their faces. She was happy to hear that everything was going along smoothly and that Helena got along as best she could with the doctor.

The women all returned to the townhouse so Myka could rest even though she was feeling fine. Leena was happy to see the couple and hear that all was well. And she was always pleased to see Irene, who always brought calmness to the house with her presence.

A short time later, Leena brought the prepared dinner of grilled salmon with herbs and lemon, rice pilaf, and green beans with almonds. Helena insisted Leena join them and the four women sat at the dining room table to enjoy the meal.

Helena forgot that when Pete dropped them off, he returned to the basement/laboratory downstairs to help Steve with the shelving. They were just putting the boxes on shelves and weren't unpacking them, which was good because Pete couldn't help but touch anything marked – _Do Not Touch._ One box was easily opened and Pete peeked in. "Look at this!" he said to Steve as he removed the object.

"What the heck is…?" Steve was asking when Pete aimed it and released the trigger. The grappling hook propelled forward with a mighty force, knocking down several glass containers in its wake. "Cool!" both men uttered, amazed by the velocity of the object. Then they made haste to clean up the mess as Pete put the object back in the box and put it on a shelf. When they were done, they went upstairs to inform their boss.

"What was that noise?" Leena asked because she could heard it over the others talking.

"Noise?" Pete asked and looked at Steve who had zero chance of lying.

"Yes, the crashing, booming, noise?" Leena asked and now a roomful of women looked at them.

Leena noticed the slightest movement of Steve's head inching over to Pete. "Mr. Lattimer?" is all Irene had to say and Pete was spilling his guts about how he didn't mean it and what was that really cool thing anyway. "I'm thinking you could really use that at concerts, you know? Like just –zzzzzippppp -," he said making the sound he heard, "…and you could be sitting with a clear view."

"Aren't those the rafters?" Leena asked.

"Oh, yeah. Anyway boss, the boxes are all put on the shelves. Oh, you need more of those funnel shaped bottles," Pete said as he was set to leave.

"You mean…beakers?" Helena asked.

"Sure," Pete said. And then as Leena took the dishes out to the kitchen and Irene and Myka were going to join Helena in the library, Pete asked one more question.

"Boss, how are they sending this stuff through your private subway station? I mean, we get the boxes cleared and all of a sudden, there are thirty more at the transit system door," Pete pointed out.

"What do you mean?" Myka asked because she thought perhaps the government was ending them Fed-Ex or US Postal System.

"Did you boys eat?" Helena asked and both said no. "Why not have Leena make you up…." she was suggesting when Leena wheeled a cart with tea and dessert cookies into the library.

"Plates are on the counter. I don't want to miss this," Leena said, feeling she was entitled to see how her boss got out of this one. Helena couldn't have disagreed more.

"Have you found the perfect location for the museum?" Helena asked and Leena knew that was her cue to leave.

"Going now," Leena said reluctantly.

* * *

Irene poured tea for Helena and coffee for her as Myka politely declined. Then she sat on the couch opposite the one Myka was sitting on. Helena sat next to Myka and when Irene pushed the tea over in front of her, it was met with the look of disdain. "Helena, it's hot water and a tea bag; not hemlock," Irene said, settling back in her seat because she knew she needed to be comfortable.

"Helena, what did Pete mean?" Myka said because she always seemed to manage to pick up where she left off – a habit Helena sometimes found annoying.

Suddenly the tea because enticing and Helena raised it to her lips. "Well, that's what …..(sip) …I was ….(sip sip) ….hoping to talk….(long sip)….about."

Irene watched Helena drain the very substance she equated to poison and murmured - ' _oh boy'_. Myka exchanged glances with Irene as she pulled her feet up under her and leaned back in her spot. The tea was drained from the cup and Helena put it down on the table.

"Something stronger?" Irene asked and ignored the glare.

"Don't be silly," she chastised Irene. "Now, remember Darling when you asked the Warehouse to return my things?" Helena started by reminding Myka of her part in all of this.

"Yes, and they did. But I thought they were sending it via FedEx or the postal service….," Myka started, but Helena interrupted by scoffing. "Darling, these are priceless journals and inventions….," the writer/inventor pointed out.

"…or private courier or armed guards…," Myka finished her sentence. _OK, those were plausible options._

"Yes, well…there's more to it than that and that's why I thought it might be a good idea for you both…," and with that, Helena looked directly at Irene to make sure she knew her part, "…to hear more about my experience with the Warehouse."

Helena's sincerity struck both women and Myka nodded _okay_ as Irene prayed to God to help her keep an open mind. She didn't care for the aggressive feelings she had towards those people.

"I know I have told you some of my history, the way the Warehouse originally found me in London and how I was apprenticed to a darling man name Caturanga," Helena said and a broad smile came across her face at the mention of the man's name. "He recruited me after figuring out that I was indeed the real HG Wells and not Charles. He was always proud of that, even though I took it as a poor sign that others couldn't figure out that simple puzzle. Alas, he enlisted me after I told him I could smell apples when I entered the Warehouse," Helena softly giggled. "Not to worry, Irene, there were other tests and I passed them all."

"Of that I'm certain," Irene said taken with how Helena looked as she sat there reminiscing about her life so long ago.

It reminded Myka that she, too, could smell something in the new location, but dismissed it at the time. It wasn't apples.

"Caturanga and I played chess every day and much to my surprise, I never won," Helena all but laughed. "He taught me a great many things, the least of which was _\- If the rules don't agree with one, it's sometimes necessary to change them_ ," and with that a tear appeared in Helena's eye at how wonderful a friend he was. "Well, as you know, I had Christina by the time I became an agent and although it was dangerous work, I felt very safe with all the devices that the Warehouse offered me, " Helena said and suddenly a melancholy look crossed her face and lingered. Myka sat up and moved closer, taking Helena's hand. She knew how hard it was for her wife to revisit that life. Helena squeezed Myka's hand and intertwined her fingers before continuing.

"Well, Caturanga was very patient with me and understood after Christina was gone; I searched the Warehouse for something that would help me. He understood that in my grief, I went mad with trying to find a solution until…," Helena said and now her throat constricted at retelling how she hurt innocent people in her quest for revenge. Helena now wiped the tear that cascaded down her cheek, unable to contain it any longer.

"Helena, a mother's grief would be maddening for anyone," Irene said emphatically and Helena smiled her gratitude.

"Even my own invention couldn't bring about the result I wanted and after I realized then that I had become a danger, so I asked to be bronzed," Helena said, her head hanging down now.

Myka could hardly bare to see Helena like this. Two lifetimes meant she carried her pain far more than any human was meant to. She sat closer to her wife, putting her arm around her. Words, phrases rushed through Myka's mind, but she couldn't find any of them to convey her feelings at the moment. None spoke of the depth of how much she admired Helena, how strong she thought she was or how much she loved her.

Irene put her coffee cup down and looked away at the thought of her dear friend cast into such a horrible state for so long.

Helena could feel the warmth of the love these women had for her and she cleared her throat so she could get to the point of this talk. "You see, as much as I believed I deserved that entombment, out of those ashes rose my craving for human connection. I knew the agents weren't allowed in the Bronze sector, but up until yesterday, I thought some of them sneaked in to speak to me."

For Irene, some of these details were new and she was trying to grasp what Helena was telling them. "Helena, are you telling me that …..?"

"The Warehouse is a place of endless wonder, Irene. It usually moves when the Regents feel it is time because it is not safe. That is what was happening when something unusual happened," Helena said.

"The Warehouse moved itself ….to New York," Myka filled in the missing piece.

"Yes," Helena said. "It has never happened before."

"So those people didn't do it? _It_ just moved…. _itself_ ," Irene repeated trying to get her head around this.

"Yes, the Warehouse …..is an entity," Helena explained. "It spoke to Myka and me when we were there."

Irene thought standing up to government agents was tough enough; how would she manage an entire building? "So, you think the Warehouse did that ….to be closer to you?" Irene asked.

"It is only in looking back now, do I see what the Warehouse had been doing all along. Not only using voices to keep me up on the world events, but also music that came to me in some of my darkest moments; books that were read to me by unknown individuals, and even pictures that appeared in holographic form so I could see them. All of this, I thought, was the next generations of agents' doings, but it was the Warehouse all along. It's not a parapraxis to confess that it was the very Warehouse that tethered me to the real world and helped me to emerge intact," Helena said.

"It sounds as if …it really wanted to …take care of you," Myka said slowly.

"I realize now …that the whispers…," Helena said, stopping when she thought back to them.

"What kind of _whispers_?" Myka asked because she was still in protective mode. Even an ounce of pain was hard for her to watch in Helena.

Helena shook her head as if she had trouble believing it even now. "I thought ….I heard someone…..," she smiled as she swallowed back the lump in her throat. "…telling me repeatedly …..it was not my fault. Encouraging me to forgive myself. I thought it was someone who perhaps read my file, someone trying to help. But now I believe it was the ….Warehouse, trying to keep me from going further into my madness. I dare say now, it was what saved me. The slightest possibility that I …could be forgiven…is what kept me sane," Helena said.

Myka was beginning to realize the debt she owed the very thing she threatened. She pulled Helena in and hugged her, tighter than perhaps she ever had. Irene sat there, tears streaming steadily down her cheeks and falling without the interference of a tissue.

Helena wanted them to understand her connection to the Warehouse, but with the narrative came the reminder of what this woman had been through for more years than their combined ages.

When Myka finally let Helena go, the Brit finished her monologue. "It not only moved itself to New York, it has managed somehow to connect itself via the transit system. That is how my articles have been arriving."

"It's….. downstairs?" Irene asked, her concern renewed.

"No," Helena smiled at the very thought. "I believe in granting Myka's request, it found a way to safely get the items to me through the underground system. I truly believe it means us no harm."

Myka felt a mix of emotions; happy she orchestrated Helena getting her things back, grateful to the entity that aided Helena, pained that Helena had experienced such tragedy in her life.

"You trust it, Helena?" Irene asked, getting to the point.

"Yes, I do," Helena said softly.

Irene looked at Myka to see where she was on the trust scale and she could tell how much Myka wanted to believe, like Helena did, that the entity was a benefactor, not a foe. Helena thought that if anyone could convince Myka, it would be Irene. But the sage knew what Myka really needed - she needed someone to hold her concern so she could agree with Helena.

"Well, I believe you, Helena, and I will trust that you know best," Irene said and Helena felt relieved, but Myka didn't. "However, I wouldn't be honest if I didn't say that my protective nature still causes me to be wary."

It was the perfect choice of word because it told Helena she wasn't giving in so easily and it told Myka she would be the one who would stand guard, allowing Myka to side with Helena. Irene wasn't following the script that Helena had carefully laid out and her look displayed her annoyance. But it was the look of relief in Myka's eyes that Irene watched. "Maybe in time," Irene suggested and Helena's look softened. Helena need to know what Myka thought.

"Do you…?" Helena asked and Myka grabbed Helena's hands again and affirmed that she did. "Yes, Helena."

Irene's continued stubbornness wasn't what Helena wanted, but Myka's easing her distrust was – and for that, she was grateful.

"Sometimes I remember …just how much I have forgotten," Helena said to her confidants.

Both Myka and Irene worried about all that was stored away in that memory – much of it resurrected with the reconnecting to her former life. Both worried Helena's darkest moments might be triggered by their pregnancy.

* * *

After a long silence, in which Helena relaxed in Myka's comforting acceptance, Irene segued into asking Myka if she liked the doctor.

"She seemed very thorough and very calm," Myka said and she meant – _in spite of Helena glaring at her and asking what rank she was in her medical college._

"I found it!" Leena shouted from the hallway and knocked on the door, asking if it was okay to come in. "Helena! Look!," the woman said, sitting next to Irene and showing Helena and Myka a picture of the structure that looked very familiar to them.

"Belvedere Castle?" Myka asked and remembered where she had seen it. Of course.

"Isn't that where the _Henry Luce Nature Observatory is_?" Irene asked and remembered taking her boys there when they were young.

"Yes, it occupies a small section of the castle. It has microscopes, telescopes, and Discovery kits with maps for kids to find things in Central Park. There's plenty of space for a museum. Look Helena, it was built even before your townhouse and in the Victorian style," Leena said, proud of her research.

"Oh, Helena, it would be right outside our door….sort of!" Myka said, excited at the thought of it being close and within the confines of Central Park.

Myka's enthusiasm was enough for Helena to want it as well. "It will have to be renamed," Helena said, because _Belvedere_ and _Luce_ wouldn't do.

"I don't see that as a problem when you charm the members on the board which you yourself are a member," Irene pointed out because she knew every position Helena held.

"Consider it done," Helena said confidently. "If you think it's a good idea…," she checked with Myka.

"I think it's a wonderful idea, Helena. Your inventions and writings should be shared with everyone," Myka said, her smile radiating how proud she was.

"Now that Mary's book has _revealed_ the truth about HG Wells, I dare say this will be the first time the real _HG Wells_ get _s_ ….their due," Helena said, never really wanting to take anything away from Charles.

* * *

When it was time to leave, Irene told Leena she would give her a ride home. Then she donned her coat and picked up her pocketbook and started out the door. She turned and hugged Myka as Helena was talking to Leena about starting the process of procuring the location.

"You're okay with all of this?" Irene asked Myka and she meant the Warehouse reconnecting with Helena.

"I think so, yes," Myka answered, because she wanted to trust that the Warehouse was truly the caretaker Helena believed it to be.

"And you're okay that I'm not quite on the same page?" Irene asked.

"Actually," Myka said, biting her lip and looking over to make sure that Helena wasn't listening, "…I'm …glad," Myka said, unable to explain it, but happy Irene would be keeping a different perspective for Helena's own protection. Irene smiled and patted Myka's hand. The two understood each other very well.

Helena rejoined them and thanked Leena for the dinner and Irene for coming. And then in an engagement that only Myka could understand – the two women exchanged words.

"You're truly a remarkable woman, Helena, and I am honored to be a part of your life," Irene spoke sincerely, as she held onto Helena's arms and looked her straight in the eyes.

It was too much emotion for Helena and her jaw tightened and she swallowed. "You failed miserably in your duties tonight," Helena said, trying to sound stern, but her voice cracking.

"Yes, I know," Irene said, smiling before leaving with Leena.

* * *

The HR Director had Steve drop Leena off at her apartment before making her way to Queens. She sat in the back of the car, staring out the window and thinking about her conversation with Helena. Her heart ached to think of the pain she endured and yet, it swelled with joy to think that long journey brought her to Myka. Deep in thought she was when her phone rang several times. She took it out of her pocketbook and looked at the number – which she didn't recognize.

"Hello?" Irene said, as Steve pulled up to her house.

"Mrs. Frederic? " the woman asked and Irene said that it was. "I hope I'm not disturbing you, Mrs. Frederic. Dr. Vanessa Calder suggested I give you a call. My name is Gloria Brown."


	26. Trimester of Trouble

**So a couple of things happened while you were away ...  
**

* * *

 **Trimester of Trouble**

* * *

Irene didn't speak at length to the nurse on the phone that night, but long enough to find out that she worked with Dr. Calder for many years. "You work in the ER?" Irene asked, wondering why Vanessa would recommend her. "Oh, I've worked in many of the areas, including the ER and pediatrics," the nurse explained and said she worked on the delivery floor, as well. Irene wondered if the good doctor was worried about Myka's pregnancy, but couldn't understand why she might be. Irene thanked the woman for reaching out and said she would keep her in mind, should the Bering-Wells' ever have the need for a private nurse.

"From the little I know," the pleasant sounding woman said, "I think there's a strong possibility." She surprised Irene by saying there was no rush and that Vanessa had explained ' _things'_ to her and that she would wait for Irene's call.

Irene thanked her again, and even sent Vanessa a thank you email for thinking of them, but said she saw no need for the nurse's services right now. Vanessa replied quickly and said that she thought it was important for Irene to at least talk with the woman for when she did need her. Irene noted there seemed to be no question in good doctor's mind that they would at some time.

In fact, Vanessa checked in with Irene a couple of more times over the next few weeks to see how the couple was doing. She found this curious because Myka truly was doing well, and the first trimester passed with no issues.

Unless, of course, you were talking about…Helena.

While Myka suffered from none of the typical first trimester effects of nausea or back pain, Helena was managing her own transition over those three months rather poorly. Her protective nature was in full rage and if someone glanced at Myka's _slightly protruding abdomen_ , she nearly rose out of her seat. Most of the time, all it took, was Myka gently placing her hand on Helena's hand or leg and the shields were lowered without injury. Usually.

However, there were a couple of close calls.

An overzealous waiter, who spilled a few drops of water in Myka's lap, and then tried to wipe the droplets, had his hand forcefully removed before he saw it coming. Helena apologized – because she was almost as surprised as he was – that her own body reacted so quickly and fiercely. Others who stared were simply subjected to a scowl or lectured. Myka worried that if Helena's glare became any more intense, she'd be able to set fire to whatever she was looking at.

* * *

Myka sat in her office, going over paperwork and signing off on contracts. It seemed that in spite of trying to plan her wedding, Eileen Sullivan was getting more business than Wells Corp could keep up with. When her phone rang and she heard it was Bridget, Myka was happy to take a break. After all, she hadn't seen her friend since Bermuda. After hugs and kisses, Bridget made Myka stand back so she could touch her stomach. "Get used to it," Bridget warned Myka. "People like to touch pregnant women's stomachs."

It certainly was not something Myka had considered and she wasn't crazy about the thought. And then she thought about Helena. She relayed to her friend what had been going on.

'She's protecting you. It's endearing," Bridget said - her long body looking rested and sun kissed. "Seriously, Myka, none of us can be surprised by this. The Brit chick has _always_ been protective of you. It's kinda her thing."

Myka smiled and nodded, but there was more to this, and she knew it. "Well, I won't be much good to her if I have to waddle into court one day to defend her," Myka said, worried that one of these encounters would wind up as a law suit.

"You know they think Morgan Styles is the donor, right?" Bridget said, taking one more pastry that Millie seemed to supply Myka with every morning.

"Oh, God, please don't tell Helena that," Myka groaned even though there was no keeping it from her. The press was hell bent on finding out who the progenitor was.

There was a great deal of speculation about sperm donor and it took them two weeks to calm Pete down when the press suspected the longtime friend. Helena's former – _fiancé-for-a-second_ – Jeffrey Tesla was suspected and when he didn't come right out and deny it, he got a visit from Helena. The man was engaged to the Mayor's daughter, but he still tried to steal a moment of fame by not refuting the accusation. Then Helena showed up at his duplex apartment and changed his mind. When Jeffrey said Helena didn't have to twist his arm to get him to comply, he really meant - _please stop twisting my arm_.

Myka worried that Helena's protectiveness was so easily expressed physically. She had gently tried to broach the subject, reminding Helena that none of those times was she in any actual danger, but Helena couldn't seem to quell what was first nature to her.

"Oh my God, if it _were_ Morgan, we would be related!" Bridget all but screamed, the sugar now taking full hold. Now that she and Sarah were married, Morgan was her brother-in-law.

* * *

 **Three weeks ago ...**

 _An urgent call to the Bering-Wells household led Myka and Helena taking the private jet to Bermuda. As was Bridget's nature, she and Sarah were there for a vacation when she decided to pop the question. She had the ring for weeks and was waiting for the right moment. Family and close friends were flown down and they were married that weekend. Poor Sarah - the woman who spent months putting her fashion line together now had forty-eight hours to design and prepare two beautiful wedding dresses. They were, in the end, exquisite! The brides were beautiful, the ceremony fitting of both of them and everyone had a great time._

 _Myka was Bridget's Matron of Honor and Morgan was the Best Man. Perhaps loosened up by the celebratory champagne, Helena confided in Morgan that a jealous tempest seemed to be coursing through her veins; one she could not seem to subdue. First, he asked Helena to release his lapel, and then he reminded her that she had nothing to worry about and perhaps talking to someone – a female – would help her get at what was underneath all of this._

 _Sarah made a stunning bride and Bridget glowed from the happiness she felt. "Come on in, kids, the water's just fine," Bridget said to Pete and Jane and Eileen and Claudia – whose wedding plans still had not come to fruition._

 _Pete had gotten as far as having his mother, the former Warehouse Regent who retired and went back to teaching, visit for a weekend to meet Jane. "Does it unnerve you at all that we share the same name?" his mother asked, perhaps claiming her stake as the first Jane in his life. The detective smiled slowly and told her future mother-in-law she doubted he'd ever confuse them. "So you worked with Helena?" Jane asked the former Warehouse worker and the woman shared that she found Helena to be challenging to work with. Then Pete saw his fiancée handle the situation perfectly – "Be careful, Mrs. Lattimer," Jane said slowly. "That's my friend you're talking about." Pete grabbed his wife-to-be right there and kissed her so hard; it made the grounded detective light headed._

 _Eileen wished that their wedding plans could be as simple as Bridget and Sarah's appeared to be. With a large extended family, each week seemed to bring a new wrinkle to the young couple's plans. The cousins from Ireland would have to travel in and the grandparents would have to come back from Florida. Eileen dreaded telling Claudia one more detail because each time she did, the techie smiled, but puffed out her cheeks and blew air as she said they'd work it out._

* * *

 **Myka's Office ...**

"I hope you appreciate what a good friend I am, Myka," Bridget said, taking one last bite of the homemade mini cannoli. "You're pregnant and I'm the one gaining the weight!"

"I have tried to tell Millie not to leave these here, but she's so excited that all she can do to calm down is bake," Myka laughed at the _literally_ sweet gesture.

"Well, Sarah's going to have to let out my clothes if I keep visiting you," Bridget complained, taking what she swore was the last one. "Oh! How is it going with your doctor? Has she banned Helena from the examination room?"

Bridget wasn't kidding even though she was smiling. Myka had shared that with monthly visits increasing; Helena was becoming testier with the physician. The office went so far as to schedule Myka's appointments later in the evening – after everyone left. Helena thought they wanted to give them privacy. The doctor was protecting her other patients. Helena argued with the doctor's presence was barely needed.

" _I am more than qualified to deliver this baby if I have to_!" Helena unleashed on the woman one day.

Finally, the doctor had enough. She told Helena babies had been born in the back of taxis, by untrained drivers and newspapers, but she wouldn't wish that on them. The tension in the room wasn't helping Myka and in spite of Helena's promise to stay calm, something bubbled up in her every time.

Helena knew something was going on.

* * *

While Bridget regaled Myka with tales of her honeymoon – " _Seriously, Myka, do you know how absolutely freeing nude parasailing is_?" - Helena was marching into Irene's office.

"Well, I don't know what to do!" is how she made her entrance, even though there were three people in Irene's office. "And if I don't know what to do, I don't know why I'm here because you certainly won't know what to do and yet, here I am," Helena lamented, walking back and forth and then, finally, noticing the others.

None of the staff members had ever actually met Helena and they sat in awe of being in her presence. A phenomenon Helena could not relate to.

"Ms. Wells," Irene said, standing to make sure Helena wasn't put off, "These are our three interns who started with us last week. I don't think you've had a chance to meet _and play nice_ ," the HR Director said, letting Helena know she couldn't incinerate them. Irene purposely put her body between the CEO and the innocents. "Everyone, this is Helena Wells, our CEO," Irene said, more as a reminder to the CEO than to them.

"What an honor," the first one said and shot up from his seat. He was the first one to go to college in his family and his modest means showed in his mismatched suit that he prayed no one would notice. Up since 5 AM, he studied everything there was to know about the prestigious company. He extended his hand out and introduced himself to Helena.

Irene watched – _carefully_ – as Helena took his hand and shook it, not saying anything. The second student reached over now, feeling a little braver, and introduced herself and shook Helena's hand so adamantly, Helena had to use force to stop the movement. "Wow," was all the young woman uttered. The last of the three neophytes coughed several times in her hand to clear her throat and then in a high, squeaky voice that she rapidly tried to correct, said hello. Helena was glad she didn't try to shake her hand.

The silence befell the room as they stood motionless, Irene stood waiting, and Helena wondered what to do with these people that were keeping her from her mission.

"Welcome aboard," the CEO finally said and everyone else let out a sigh. They were told when applying for the internships that they may never see, let alone meet, the CEO of Wells Corp. Sometimes, kids signed up just for the chance to meet Helena and that motivation had to be curtailed. Now, these three diligent and eager learners were in her presence.

Helena wasn't prepared for conducting business and she said the first thing that came to her mind. "Let's do lunch," she let out, thinking that would get them to leave.

"Oh my gawd," the last of them squealed and made Helena shudder. "What an honor!"

Helena was finally taken by their affect. "Mrs. Frederic will make the arrangements and let you know when," she said …and when they didn't move…and she had been patient look enough…she looked at Irene – her expression saying …" _OK, get them to leave_!"

Irene read it perfectly and assured them she would get back to them later that day and walked them to the door as they stole glances back at the CEO.

* * *

"See?" Helena said, flopping down on the chair in front of Irene's desk. "I can play nice," she said, sardonically. Irene sat in the chair facing Helena, a move the Brit found – unnerving. "What are you doing? Why aren't you sitting over there?" the guest asked suspiciously.

"I read recently that the desk represents an obstacle when people come in to talk to you about important things and that it's better to sit across from them," Irene said.

"Are you reading _Psychology Today_ or _Harvard Business Review-_ again?" Helena inquired, trying to adjust to the new method. "Really, the things I do for you," she said as she moved back in her chair, accepting the HR Director's new method.

"What is it, Helena?" Irene asked, getting them back on track.

Helena took a deep breath, which she did when she was trying to break the news that she was fallible. "I am…..having …..some trouble," Helena said, and then decided to stand up and walk to the window. It was hard to be animated whilst sitting in a chair and Helena need to flail her arms as she confessed -  
"I'm overreacting to the pregnancy. I mean, to Myka – whenever anyone goes near her or looks at her or …or …," the Brit said, crossing her arms. Just the thought – the _imagined_ thought – was enough to make her lapse into an agitated mood.

Irene had seen Helena visceral before – but this had been going on for some time now. She was, however, very impressed with the fact that Helena knew it was an issue. Helena's body couldn't stand still and she grabbed the back of the chair now, looking down at Irene.

"Come," Irene said and indicated for Helena to sit down again.

Helena all but threw her arms up, thinking that this new mode of close communication was ridiculous. "I'd fight you on this, but I know how abhorrently stubborn you can be," she huffed as she retook her seat.

"Helena, I think this wonderful event is…bringing up a lot of feelings for you," Irene said slowly, easing into the conversation.

Helena never appreciated stating the obvious. Her mind raced to figure out which direction Irene was going in. "Well, bloody hell, yes," she said, thinking they should just get to the point – and then it dawned on her what Irene was saying. "No!" Helena said defiantly. "Absolutely not!" she protested as she crossed her arms and legs and sat with her back erect.

"Helena, it would be only natural for you to experience feelings …," Irene approached again.

"You think I don't know this? You think I don't get the replay of emotions when similar events play out in your life? That I don't get the basic concept of transference? " Helena now said, agitated and Irene sat back in her chair.

"Of course I know you're aware, Helena. It's why you're here now. What I am suggesting is that we help you with all of this. That it's hard for you," Irene said softly. She was worried that the constant state of vigilance, was taking its toll on Helena.

Helena's instinct was to contest the woman's claim, but in her heart, she knew she was right. That didn't make it any easier to swallow. Her shoulders dropped as she pushed back in her seat, unfolding her arms to grip the sides.

"I have a thought," Irene said, as the idea seemed to gel in her mind. It wasn't met with the usual snarky response and she took that as a good sign. She had Helena's attention. "I am putting together our company's health plan with the idea of having a healthcare provided on site. Someone who could do basic health functions – give flu shots, take blood pressure, maybe provide nutritional information," Irene said slowing introducing the idea. She had to strike now or she would lose the CEO who had attention deficient with matters that bored her.

"My thought was to try the nurse who Dr. Calder recommended. Having her on staff would give us the opportunity to see if she would, in fact, be someone you and Myka might want to use," Irene segued.

"Use her…for what?" Helena asked, and Irene noted she sounded curious, not annoyed.

"Helena, if you found this woman to be someone you trusted, it might relieve some of the pressure you feel with Myka's pregnancy," Irene explained and watched Helena's face carefully. Dark eyes flashed as the Brit thought over her friend's suggestion.

"Have you met her?" Helena asked, opening the door of opportunity a crack.

"I am meeting her today," Irene shared. "I will only hire her if I feel she could be someone to help you and Myka." Irene left out the part where Vanessa had called her and explained that the doctor caring for Myka said that the staff at the hospital would probably have Helena banned by the time the baby was due.

Helena was on unfamiliar ground; she couldn't think herself out of this situation. She felt she was backed against a wall - a position she only enjoyed if Myka was standing in front of her doing the pushing. She needed help.

"Okay," Helena said and Irene smiled at her being so open. She patted Helena's hand and said, "Good, I'm glad." Then Irene added a caring after thought when Helena got up to leave. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Helena."

Helena Wells was all about emotional armor unless it was with Myka …..and this woman….. who so gently disarmed her, it was off before she knew it.

"Thank you," Helena said, feeling calmer having talked with her confidante.

* * *

Helena walked down to Myka's office and had to wait until Millie explained that she knew Myka wasn't really eating for two, but she was just so excited and when she was excited, she baked. Helena glanced over at the three trays of homemade desserts on her desk.

"Have you …considered…meditation?" Helena asked, trying to work her way around the woman to get through the door. Millie said she'd look into it.

Helena slipped through the door and closed it quickly behind her, least the woman follow her in.

Bridget saw what she had come to expect when her favorite couple saw each other – Myka's green eyes sparkled and Helena's face lit up. She even got used to the feeling of being invisible until they locked eyes and kissed. "Oh, hello, Bridget," Helena said even though the woman had been sitting in plain view. "How are you?" she asked as she sat down in the other chair in front of Myka's desk.

"I'm happy to report that I am putting Chapter 15 of your book to good use," Bridget said because that was the chapter Helena wrote about _how to create spontaneous intimate moments_ .

"I doubt spontaneity is a new concept for you," Helena laughed after how quickly the wedding took place.

"We can all use a few pointers," Bridget proposed.

"I'm not sure I agree," Helena said from personal experience.

"Oh, Helena! I have a nice surprise," Bridget said, grabbing some papers from her briefcase. "You'll be pleased to know the financing has been approved for the HG Wells Museum. The Board has agreed to sell you the site as long as you allow the Nature Observatory to remain," Bridget said, because she worked on it on her honeymoon – a rather sore point with Sarah.

"Pleased perhaps, not surprised," Helena said, looking at the papers she was just handed. She flipped a couple of pages to glance at the highlights of the agreement and then handed it to Myka.

"So, what did you inherit all of HG Wells' stuff? Is it going to be on him and his sister? Like Irene's sister's book? " Bridget asked innocently. "Any dirt? Skeletons? Oh! Like, he really wrote Jules Verne's novels?"

For Myka, watching her best friend and her wife interact was like watching gas being poured into a fire - you knew there was going to be reaction, you just didn't know how volatile. Helena's frown was a good indicator.

"Wrote the bloody book about traversing the globe in a balloon? Are you mad?" the indignant Author asked.

"I take it…the rivalry…has been passed down through the generations," Bridget said, taking note at how vehemently Helena gasped at the thought.

"There was no _rivalry_. We were not _equals_!" Helena spat out before she knew it.

Bridget attributed the declaration to Helena's definite ideas about what was hers – including her ancestor's works, apparently. "O…kay," Bridget said, getting up slowly and looking at Myka. "I apologize, Helena," she said, even though she wasn't sure for what. Myka care around the desk now and walked Bridget to the door. "I'll call you later," her friend said, her concern about Helena palpable.

Myka came back to the chair where Helena sat now and stood behind her, rubbing Helena's stiffened shoulders. "Are you okay," she asked as she massaged the tight muscles.

Helena put her hand on Myka's and leaned her face into it. Suddenly, Myka could feel Helena's body shaking and she wrapped her arm around her wife from behind. Helena's shoulders dropped and she lowered her head.

"Myka, I think there's something….. terribly wrong with me."

* * *

 **Given the way I write, I thought if I didn't speed things up, this child would never get here. I hope the time line didn't confuse you.  
My apologies to Bridget fans - if her wedding wasn't covered in detail. We could always make another story to cover all these other life events. It won't happen with Claudia and Eileen - promise. **

**Cheers.**


	27. It Takes a Special Woman

**It Takes a Special Woman**

 **Myka's Office…**

Myka rushed to the other chair and pulled it closer to Helena. She grabbed her wife's jaw so their eyes could lock – because she wanted…no _needed_ …..Helena to hear her. Glistening dark pools looked back filled with distress and worry. Myka knew for Helena to utter those words about herself, she meant it.

"There is nothing wrong with you," Myka said softly, as her fingers stroked Helena's jaw. "There is nothing wrong with what you're feeling," she assured the Brit.

Helena eyes moistened as part of her wanted desperately to believe that Myka knew best. But Helena Wells survived two life times by being harsh on herself, and it wasn't that easy to pry that history off. "What if I can't…..," Helena asked, her eyes pleading for help to get out of that vice.

"None of us can, Helena," Myka said, her words certain and yet, still tender. "None of us can be sure of anything, Helena. We take precautions, we are diligent, but none of us – not even you – can predict where the danger is all the time."

Myka needed Helena to take that message into her bones and she knew how many layers of stubborn there were until that happened. "One day at a time, Helena," Myka said …..right before the cramp in her abdomen erupted. It was so sharp, that it forced the breath out of her mouth and caused her body to shudder. She wanted to move, but didn't dare because any movement seemed to increase the piercing sharpness. Helena read it immediately and snapped out of the chair.

If any part of Helena had heard Myka's message, it was all about to be shelved.

* * *

 **Outside Paris …the morning of June 9, 1891**

"Mother!" came the frantic cry early that morning. "Mother!" It rang in the upstairs hallway as Mrs. Wells rushed frantically to put her robe on and make haste into her daughter's bedroom down the hall. "George! George!" she in turn shouted before leaving. "Get the midwife. It's time."

George Wells immediately woke up his son, Charles and sent him down the road to fetch the midwife. "Bloody hell," Charles muttered as he scrambled out of his cousin's chateau and down the unfamiliar road, tripping more than once in the near darkness of the morning. Minutes later, he arrived back at the house, carrying the bag of the woman trained to deliver babies.

As screams emanated from the bedroom where his sister was finally giving birth, Charles and George Wells paced the floor outside. "Well, at least we can return to London now," Charles said, having missed the social life his notoriety had given him. It had been decided that the fabricated story seemed more plausible if they all vacationed in France that summer.

"And you think things will be easier, son?" George Wells asked in disbelief. "Unless we can explain that this baby's father was killed in the war, we will be the laughing stock of all of London!"

"Of course people will believe us, Father," Charles said, in an unsteady voice. In his mind, he had the most at stake here to lose.

"I pray for all our sakes, you're right," George said.

An hour later, Mrs. Wells reappeared, looking tired and annoyed. "She threw me out!" she stated as she sat down, her pride more than anything else injured.

"Helena?" her husband asked in disbelief.

"No! That midwife. She said I was upsetting Helena and that I should leave. Of all the nerve," Mrs. Wells spoke. "I was trying to point out to my daughter that we should consider the big picture here and perhaps …," and she started to choke up.

"Perhaps what, Mother?" Charles asked, suspicious of his flesh and blood's intentions. Although slightly self-centered, the man did have a protective streak for his sister.

Mrs. Wells looked at her husband, hoping he would back her up. "Perhaps she should ….give the baby up. Oh, George! You know what life is going to be like," she tried to win her family over.

"We're going to say the child's father died in the war," the patriarch explained clearly.

"What war?" Charles asked, in case he was asked.

"Oh, I'm sure there's a war somewhere we can blame," George lamented.

They all heard the screams of childbirth, but none would go near the door. The midwife came into the room once, and asked for more towels. She assured them their daughter was doing fine and the delay of birth might only be explained by the assumption that the baby was as stubborn as her mother.

They were a very odd couple - the mother to be and the doctor turned midwife. It was extremely rare for a woman to have been educated in the medical field in those days; unheard of in Africa. But this woman was trained at her father's side in their village and when they left South African Republic during the First Bohr War, they came to France at the request of the man who recognized their talents. Unable to work in the hospitals because of the color of their skin, Amelia Brown and her father took care of those who could not afford healthcare and did so in the outskirts of the countryside. The Wells family interviewed Amelia and accepted her as the caretaker because they believed she wouldn't ask any questions. She knew Helena only a few weeks before she called her on the missing father story.

"There is no father around, is there Miss Wells?" Amelia asked the patient, looking her straight in the eye.

Helena was caught between being amazed anyone would question her and being impressed with the woman's boldness. The woman explained that she recognized an independent woman when she saw one, because they were so rare, and she was certain Helena was one of them. "I don't need to know the detail, that's none of my business. And you can tell whatever story you want to the outside world. But you and me?" she explained to Helena. "….I don't think it's a good idea for you and me to bring a child into this world under the pretext of something that ain't."

The healthcare provider then extended her hand to the young Brit and shook it when Helena agreed. "I never told him," Helena said and that was more detail than she had given anyone else.

"You just give this baby all the love you can, Miss Wells, and it will do just fine," the wise woman said.

Later that morning, the woman emerged and told them that mother and daughter were doing just fine and that they could go in to meet their first grandchild.

Helena never forgot the kindness of the woman who helped bring Christina into the world. When she tried to find the doctor on her trips back to France, she was told the woman had moved to America.

* * *

 **Manhattan ….Present Day**

Helena knelt in front of Myka who squeezed her eyes shut, least Helena be able to see the pain in them. Within seconds or what seemed like hours to Helena, Myka clutched Helena's hand. "It's okay, just a spasm," Myka said when the pain lessened a little. Helena's face drained of color as she reached for her phone and called Irene. The woman appeared in the doorway, Millie not far behind her.

"It's okay," Myka said, suddenly aware of the crowd.

"I've called the doctor," Irene said, because she instinctively knew what Helena would want her to do.

"Where is she?" Helena asked, her eyes widened, expecting that the woman had somehow transported herself there.

"She's at the hospital. An attending will call us…," Irene broke the news when Helena rose from her crouched position. "Get-that-woman-here," she growled, her upper lip curing so fiercely that Mille held her breath.

"Myka, what is happening?" Irene asked, looking down at Myka who didn't look nearly in as much pain as Helena did.

"It was just a bad cramp. It's mostly gone away," Myka said, still out of breath from the intensity.

"Do you feel anything else?" Irene asked and Helena knew exactly what the woman was trying to find out. _Why hadn't she thought of asking Myka that?_

"No," Myka said, trying to tune into her lower body. "Could I have some water?" she asked and Millie rushed out towards the door.

The last thing that Millie needed right now as she scrambled for water was for someone to ask for directions to the Human Resource department. Millie spilled the water over when the woman interrupted to ask.

"Irene Frederic?" the roundish woman, dressed in a multicolored blouse and blue skirt asked.

"She's…busy," Millie said, trying to open the water bottle a second time.

"Oh, would you be able to tell her that Gloria Brown is here? I have an appointment, but I'm very early. I came from the _hospital_ …," Gloria was saying and only the last word made sense to the secretary.

"Are you a doctor?" Millie asked, thinking the prayers to God she said on the way out of the office were being answered.

"I'm a nurse practitioner…," the woman said and found herself being dragged by the hand before she could say another word.

"She's a nurse!" Millie shouted and averted Helena's glare when she got inside, instead bending down to give Myka the water. Myka had to put both her hands around the glass as it shook from Millie's trembling hands.

"I'm sorry, you are…?" Irene asked wondering how she was going to protect this unsuspecting victim.

"A little surprised," Gloria said, out of breath from the sudden propulsion into the room. "I'm sorry," she said, catching her breath. "Do you need a nurse?"

"I'm Irene Frederic," Irene said, now placing her full frame in between the stranger and what could easily be her cause of death.

"Gloria Brown," the shorter woman answered and looked at the women in front of her. "Is she sick?" she asked and was looking at the wrong woman.

"Ms. Brown," Irene said, finally getting that this was the woman who was an hour early for her interview. "This is Myka Bering, Helena Wells. Myka is pregnant and just experienced a terrible cramp. We called the doctor, but she's in the delivery room," Irene explained.

"May I?" Gloria asked Irene politely and when Irene stepped forward, not back, it gave the nurse enough room to at least face Myka.

"Ms. Bering? I'm Gloria Brown. Can you tell me what your symptoms are?" the nurse asked in a calm voice.

Helena looked up at the woman who was asking the question, as she held onto Myka's hand. "A cramp just came on. It's better now," Myka said.

"Any discharge that you know of?" Gloria asked, because it could be a sign of a miscarriage.

"No, none," Myka said, sipping the water.

"What exactly are your credentials, madam?" Helena asked, now rising up slowing to stare the woman down.

 _Gloria Brown arrived that day with two things - a pocketbook and all the information she needed on the CEO of Wells Corp. Vanessa Calder had done her best to paint an accurate picture of Helena without scaring the woman off. The doctor had seen this nurse subdue six foot 250 pound men simply by talking to them calmly, but sternly. She talked a patient out of shooting himself in the Emergency Room by asking if she could pray with him before he went to meet the Lord. The man broke down in tears and surrendered. She was one of the kindest people Vanessa ever worked with, but that wasn't why she thought she was fit for the job. Gloria also took no nonsense from people and never dabbled in drama._

"I'm a nurse practitioner at New York University Hospital with experience in pediatrics and obstetrics," Gloria said as she went to place her hand on Myka's wrist to check to see if there was an elevated heart rate.

And then…. she got a firsthand look at what she was dealing with. Literally.

The woman, whom Helena had never met before, felt the tight grasp on her wrist almost as soon as she touched Myka. Millie gasped and covered her mouth and Myka jumped in her seat. Helena's nostrils flared, her breathing labored.

"Helena," Irene said gently and placed her hand on the Brit's arm to withdraw it.

Gloria never flinched. She didn't look harshly at Helena or seemed surprised. She kept her finger on Myka's pulse which now jumped. "I …do apologize," Helena said because she knew she was supposed to. Irene put her hand on Helena's shoulder and left it there.

"What you might be experiencing could simply be cramping as the muscles prepare to hold the baby," Gloria explained. "Especially if there are no other symptoms. Can you lie down and keep your feet up for an hour? If there's no other discomfort, I think you can rest assured it's nothing."

Millie ran and got a pillow from a closet and put it on the couch. Helena helped Myka stand up and walked with her to the couch, where Myka laid down. Helena sat on the coffee table in front of the couch, holding Myka's hand. "I'm really okay, sweetie," she said to Helena.

* * *

"Mrs. Frederic," the nurse, who just demonstrated why she should be hired, said, "I don't care if you hire me, but I'm begging you to get someone."

"I thought you said Ms. Bering was okay," Irene said, her voice almost in a whisper.

Gloria Brown picked her up pocketbook and put it over her arm as she looked over at the couple across the room. "That ain't who I was talking about."

And with that, the woman walked out of the office to give them some privacy.


	28. Welcome Aboard

**I hope you'll forgive the process of bringing Nurse Brown on board. She's an OC from my WH stories.  
Many thanks for you continued readership. Love hearing from you all, too. **

**Cheers.  
**

* * *

 **Welcome Aboard**

Irene watched as the nurse disappeared through the office door, and then decided to follow her outside. Helena was sitting next to Myka as Myka assured her she was okay. "The cramp is gone now," she said as Helena held onto her hand. Helena already knew that because she sensed when Myka finally relaxed. She waited until she closed the door behind her before she called out for Gloria. "Nurse Brown," Irene said, walking quickly to catch up with the woman who was near the elevator.

"Mrs. Frederic?" the nurse smiled.

"I'd like to conduct that interview now," Irene said, trying to sound like she hadn't already hired her. The HR Director had watched carefully how she interacted with Myka and she was impressed.

"Of course," the woman said, pleased that she still wanted to do it. There was something about the dynamic of the threesome inside that made the woman doubt she'd get the chance.

" _Oh, thank God_ ," came from behind the desk where Millie sat, typing away at her computer.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, with the nurse's resume still in her hand, Irene had asked every question that she was allowed to by law. However, if the woman was going to work with Helena, she needed the answers to questions that were more delicate. "Your credentials are very solid, your experience is broad, and your reference is convinced I'd be crazy not to hire you," Irene smiled. "But tell me why _you_ want this job?"

Gloria bowed her head down as she thought of all the reasons. "I don't mind telling you, Mrs. Frederic that I never thought I'd be interested in doing something like this. I come from a long line of women who worked in the healthcare profession, so I always knew what I was going to do, even from an early age. But the job is physically demanding and ….," the woman laughed patting her round midsection …." …..and I am not always up to the task. I've forgotten more than some of the younger nurses, but they can stand on their feet twelve hours a day. I can't do that anymore," the woman said, rubbing her knee at the thought of the pain it caused. "But I'm good at what I do, that I assure you." There was a softness to her light brown eyes when she smiled.

Irene didn't know the woman's age, but she imagined the job had aged her beyond her actual years. "What is it that you think this job would be, Ms. Brown?" Irene asked, pulling down her reading glasses slowly. The nurse had worked with people long enough to know someone's real intention in a question was hidden in their tone. She knew Irene was interested …but she was also being very cautious.

"Well, Doctor Calder shared that the expectant couple might be in need of some private healthcare facilitating. I took that to mean helping them manage their way through the pregnancy. Dr. Calder's concern was that one of the mothers was perhaps …..can we say, difficult?" Gloria asked and Irene's expression didn't tell her she was wrong, but she also noticed Irene's chestnut eyes flashed - telling her to be cautious in her choice of words. "…and that it might help to have someone assist with the medical interactions with doctors and staff. I think Vanessa is concerned the child will have to be born at home," Gloria chuckled – unaware of how right she was.

"So, you're willing to give up your job at the hospital and take on a short term position?" Irene asked, her proverbial HR hat sitting nicely atop her head.

"Oh, I can go back to the hospital any time I want," Gloria explained. "Mrs. Frederic, from what Vanessa has told me, Mrs. Bering-Wells is the model patient. And thank God, she appears to be having a good pregnancy without any complications. The difficulties seem to be with Helena Bering-Wells and from what I've seen; she's the one having the trouble. If I were to guess, I'd say her blood pressure went through the roof in there. And her over protectiveness, while admirable, is going to tax her strength – both physically and mentally."

Irene couldn't believe how succinct the nurse's assessment probably was. Then Gloria continued, because she believed in putting everything on the table. "My sense is, you're very protective of the woman and I'm sure you have your reasons and they are good ones. My job would be to assist in any way that I can and ensure that the pregnancy goes as planned."

Irene pushed back in her chair as thoughts raced in her mind. The woman was good; better than she expected. But this wasn't the hard part of getting the job. "What I am prepared to offer you is a position at Wells Corp, as the staff healthcare provider. We have a small staff here that helps with occupational hazards and such, but I think you would fit nicely heading up that team. You would be in charge of onsite medical care – flu shots, healthcare classes, etc. This would give ….uhm….Helena a chance to get to know you. You cannot help them if Helena does not approve." Irene put it as plainly as she could.

""Okay," Gloria agreed, but then gave her stipulation. "But you must give it a month. My sense is that woman would say no to _Mother Theresa_ if the mood struck her. I've seen her type…."

"No, you haven't," Irene said assuredly. "I'm sure you have dealt with a great many people from all walks of life in your job, but I assure you, you have never met _anyone_ like Helena." The nurse noticed Irene's tone was only _mildly_ defensive, and that it was more a mixture of warning and challenge.

Gloria Brown enjoyed a challenge.

"I think this is going to work out just fine," Gloria said of the arrangement.

"You understand, I won't be able to …," and Irene stopped. ' _Prevent you from being eaten by wolves'_ sounded too harsh.

"Oh Mrs. Frederic," Gloria said, and her body shook from the chuckle she couldn't contain. "I've handled my share of tough people. Now, I know you think Helena is different, but underneath, we're all the same. It just comes out in different ways. She's a brilliant woman who is in a vulnerable position of being an expectant mother – and she's not in control. That can be hard for people who are used to being in control."

Irene liked that this woman seemed to understand Helena already. She wasn't sure Helena would appreciate it though. For a brief moment, the two women started at one another, their minds parsing out the decision.

Irene had interviewed thousands of people. She knew how to hold back her personal bias and assess a person's skills and potential for a job. She never crossed the boundary of letting her personal feelings about a person get in the way. But hiring someone to work with Helena was different. She liked this woman – she was more than qualified and seemed to understand what she was getting into.

Gloria knew that the woman interviewing her was the epitome of professionalism. So, the fact that Irene was hesitant at all spoke volumes about her relationship with the CEO.

"Mrs. Frederic, I will accept the position here at Wells. This way, I'll be close enough to Myka should she need me, and Helena will get to know me. My sense, Mrs. Frederic, is Helena will need my services before Myka will," the nurse said, one eyebrow raised.

Irene was concerned about Myka, but she was _really_ worried about Helena.

"Welcome aboard, Nurse Brown," Irene said, standing up and taking some papers in her hand. "This is the salary package we are prepared to offer you."

Gloria noticed how accessible the paperwork was, as if it had already been prepared. She liked Irene Frederic – she could tell she was a strong woman with a mind of her own and a kind heart. She knew the woman took her job seriously and more importantly, she could tell there was some bond to Helena that she didn't quite understand, but she liked it, nonetheless. She took the papers and looked at the generous salary. She wouldn't have to work overtime with that income – something she had found necessary with twins in college. She smiled and looked at the woman who just hired her and shook her hand.

"I look forward to working here," Gloria said. She told Irene she would be there tomorrow and thanked her for everything. She was almost out the door before the words came out of Irene's mouth.

"She'll probably fight you at first. It's her way," Irene said, no apology in her tone.

Gloria liked this woman's honesty. "I've learned the way to win a good fight, Mrs. Frederic, is to let the other person wear themselves out first."

Irene smiled and thought – Helena _rarely_ tires in her pursuits.

* * *

When the nurse was gone, Irene went back to check on Helena and Myka. Myka had convinced Helena she was well enough to sit up as the Brit called the doctor …again…and was told …again…she was in the delivery room. The attending called back and spoke to Myka and assured her the cramp was normal and told her to call if anything else happened.

"I don't think you should hire a nurse," Helena stated to the woman who just hired one. "I think you should hire someone to replace that bloody doctor."

"How are you feeling, Myka?" Irene asked and Myka assured her she had no pain after that one spasm. Myka cast her eyes over at the woman who was still in pain though.

"How about some tea?" Irene suggested, hoping the magic elixir would calm her nerves.

"Your tea?" Helena bellowed as if she had been shot.

Irene looked at Myka who bit her lip not to laugh at her wife's theatrics. Even after all this time, she found them endearing. "Of course not, Helena, I would never dare to suggest…." Irene tried.

"Eileen's then?" Helena asked and there was no way Irene would refuse her.

"Of course," Irene said, getting up after asking Myka if she wanted any. She made a direct line to the elevator and went upstairs, hoping the junior executive wasn't in a meeting of great importance.

* * *

Meanwhile, Myka was sharing something with Helena that didn't suit her well at all. "Helena, sweetie…," and the double salutation told Helena something was coming that she wasn't going to like. "We have to talk…," and now Helena was certain she wasn't going to like it. Myka got up from the couch and gently pulled her into the chair next to hers as she held Helena's hand.

"I do appreciate how concerned you are about the pregnancy, but we're really doing fine. And I worry about you ….," Myka said gently and Helena's expression turned into a frown. "I think we need to relax more…," Myka tried to suggest.

If it weren't for the sincerely that filled the jade pools of concern that met Helena's eyes, she would have baulked. But this was Myka speaking from her heart and Helena always listened when those words were spoken. "Okay," came the affirmation because Helena always agreed to Myka's requests when she looked at her that way.

"Good," Myka said, and rewarded Helena's concession with a tender kiss. "Let's have a nice dinner at home tonight and afterwards….," Myka said in a seductive tone that immediately caught Helena's attention…. "I will massage any part of your body that aches," she cooed in Helena's ear, causing an immediate aching sensation to arise inside her.

"I am but the very essence of calm in your hands," Helena responded in a breathy tone.

"Well, I may not be going for _calm_ …exactly," Myka said and Helena's eyes light up with anticipation.

"Oh," Helena responded, then leaned over to kiss Myka, her worries starting to wash away.

* * *

A few minutes later, a light tap on the door meant Helena's tea arrived and Myka shouted for Mrs. Frederic to come in, patting Helena's hand and reminding her she needed this. The tea cup was placed down in front of Helena who couldn't help the longing for the drink from appearing in her eyes. The Brit all but moaned as she drank down the soothing liquid. Within minutes, the CEO appeared calmer.

"I hired that nurse to come on staff," Irene announced. Myka thought it was a great idea and said she liked the woman and thought she'd be a great addition.

"Don't let her fool you, Myka," Helena warned from the other side of her teacup as she drank. "Dr. Calder wants her to _specialize_ in us."

Myka looked at Irene who confirmed that this was, in fact, the ulterior motive for hiring the woman. "She did seem very nice," Myka said.

"We'll see about that," Helen said under an arched eyebrow.

"She'll start tomorrow and I think we can put her skills to good use for the staff. That way, you can get to know her and see if there's anything she might also do for you," Irene said and her tone conveyed to Myka that she meant Helena.

"I think it's a wonderful idea to have someone right here," Myka said of the new addition.

"I explained that she, of course, would have to meet with your approval," Irene explained and Helena's expression concurred.

"She seems competent, although I'm basing that on her ability to articulate a couple of questions," Helena said, her tone dry and unimpressed.

Then, Helena drained the cup of the antidote to her anxiety and kissed Myka goodbye. She then left with Irene and instructed Millie to keep an eye on Myka. Helena meant check in on her; Millie took it to mean fabricating reasons to go into Myka's office every half hour.

"Maybe they could just station the nurse in my office," Myka laughed when her secretary came in to adjust the blinds ….. _for the third time._

It was the same thought Helena was having.


	29. Fire and Ice

**Fire and Ice**

Myka spent the better part of the afternoon cleaning up Helena's good intentions. She finally had to ask Millie to make copies of some files even though it was completely unnecessary. The copier was at the other end of the hallway and it at least kept her busy and out of Myka's office. Finally, there was peace and quiet.

It was such a nice day out that when they left work that day, Myka suggested to Helena that they walk home rather than take the car. It was harder to tell who was more surprised by this request; Helena or Pete. " _But_ …," Helena said, pointing to the waiting car because that was their routine. " _But_ …" Pete echoed his boss, because this was his routine.

"Yes, I know…," Myka said to both parties, " …but I'd like to hold your hand and walk."

That was all it took and Helena was walking uptown to their home. Giving Andrew the job of parking the car, Pete followed behind the couple as they walked, because he, too, was in protective mode. Of course, he didn't come close to his boss' _DEFCON_ level.

Tourists from all over the world walk the thoroughfares of Broadway, taking in the wonderful sites. But the sight of the famous couple caught everyone's attention and cell phones snapped away. Myka kept Helena close, and encouraged her not to pay attention to the crowds who were, for the most part, very respectful. Helena's glare was working wonders at keeping those brave enough to approach, at bay.

The farther north they walked, the thinner the crowds got and by the time they reached Central Park West in the 80's – all they could hear was Pete's heels clicking a few steps behind. "Thank you, Pete," Helena yelled back when they reached the house.

"Oh!" he said, coming up behind them. "You knew I was here?" He swore he was quite discrete.

Helena had seen his reflection in the store front windows several blocks back. Myka simply knew he would follow them.

"We appreciate it," Myka smiled at the man who puffed out his chest and said – "Sure." Only then, did it dawn on Pete he would have to take a cab home.

* * *

The women ascended the steps and went inside. It was dark in the entryway, which told the couple Leena had already left for the day. Helena's routine of tossing her coat and bag were only hastened when Myka instructed her – "Come here, you." The Brit immediately walked over to where Myka was standing. Myka pulled her into her arms and kissed her lips with such purpose that they immediately started to feel warm. The softest bites of Helena's bottom lip made a spontaneous groan come up from her throat.

"How…do you feel?" Helena asked and interrupted Myka momentarily. She realized the usual tactics to distract Helena needed to be more direct. Myka reached up the back of Helena's form fitting dress and slowly pulled the zipper down as she said whispered in her wife's ear: "I feel …..like ripping something off your body." She then cupped Helena's buttocks to keep her from losing her balance. "You really should take those heels off before playing with me," Myka laughed.

"Yes," Helena said, trying to accomplish the simple task of removing her heels as she held onto her wife.

Myka let her polished fingernails trail down Helena's bare back, making her way around the articles of clothing that got in her way. "Let's go inside," Myka said softly and took Helena's hand. They walked into the library, and over to the over-sized couch. "Will the leather be too cold for you?" Myka asked as she pushed the dress over her shoulders and let it fall. "Lea….ther?" Helena asked, her mind racing to make sense of that question _. Leather what_? _How much leather_? Myka caught the sparks in Helena's eyes and pursed her lips to suppress the chuckle. "The couch? Will it be too cold?" Myka asked, trying to keep her voice steady. _Whatever was Helena thinking_ , she wondered.

"I doubt I can feel anything," Helena said, sitting down and blinking when her bare skin hit the sofa.

"Liar," Myka teased her and pulled a blanket across the couch. "Now, how can I keep you warm?" she asked, standing there, her finger tapping the edge of her chin. She looked down at Helena with such a seductive gaze that the Brit immediately knew Myka had the answer. Helena reached up and embraced Myka's torso, slowly unzipping her skirt and pulling her blouse up so she could kiss Myka's bare stomach. Myka lay down and gently pulled Helena to lie alongside her. She pulled the large cover over them as Helena rested her head in Myka's arm. Helena played with a loose curl that fell around Myka's face. "You look more beautiful than you did yesterday," Helena whispered. "How do you do that?"

Myka smiled down and answered: "I walk into your gaze." Myka leaned in and kissed Helena, reigniting the deepest urge to be touched a human knows. Her hand deftly released Helena of her bra and she filled her mouth with a fleshy peak and drew her tongue around it. She repeated the motion on the other breast and Helena arched her back at how wonderful it felt. She ran her fingers through Myka's hair as the nibbling continued and Myka's free hand lowered satin panties off Helena's body. Then she lay back next to Helena – because she knew telling Helena what she was about to do, was something that turned the Brit on.

"Helena?" Myka said, looking down into wanton pools of desire as she continued to tease Helena's bare skin.

"Yes?" her wife answered, because monosyllabic responses were about all she could manage.

"Do you want water?" Myka asked, kissing Helena's rib cage and draping her hand up and down Helena's thigh.

Helena frowned at the question; not only because it seemed out of place, but because Helena's brain was going offline and simple questions were falling by the wayside. "Why?" the Brit asked and it took a couple of seconds for it to appear.

Myka picked her head up. "Because I'm going to make you scream," she promised as she reached up and let her finger trail across Helena's neck, "…and I don't want you to hurt your throat."

"Oh, God," Helena said as Myka began.

 _ **Mission Control, we have libido liftoff. (Explosive rocket launch noise here)**_

Slipping her hand over Helena's sensitive flesh, Myka found her destination ready and waiting for her skilled ministrations. Helena called out to her deity repeatedly as Myka's fingers touch Helena in all the right places. She then made good on her promise, and within a short, yet painfully long time for Helena, screams of volcanic ecstasy filled the room. With the gentlest of touches, Helena's agonizing crescendo shattered into a million sparks of ecstasy.

Myka had been right to offer her water.

Myka lay her head on Helena's thumping heart where she fell asleep minutes after Helena's breathing finally evened out. There was no more talk of ways to protect Myka that night and she was convinced she had found a delightful way to distract Helena …each and every time.

* * *

An hour later, the women awoke from the blissful surrender of post lovemaking slumber and had dinner. The only irritation to an otherwise perfect evening was a call from Myka's mother, Jeannie. Now that the first trimester had passed without incident, the future grandmother felt more comfortable talking about the upcoming event. "Myka, I think your father and I have a right to know….," is how the woman started the conversation that she had rehearsed all week after she and Warren Bering talked. "…if you know who the donor is. We don't care, honey. We just want to make sure you went to one of those banks that only take Ivy League graduates with very high IQ's."

"Mother…," Myka said in a low voice so Helena wouldn't hear her. "I am not discussing this with you."

Myka had spent her entire adolescence having her feelings blamed on hormones. Now, her mother really felt it was legit. Covering the mouthpiece, as if that prevented Myka from hearing, Jeannie told Warren: "She's not discussing it now." And then in a lower voice she added, "You're more hormonal when you're pregnant, Warren."

"I'll tell Helena you were asking for her," Myka said, when Helena came back into the bedroom. "Good night, Mother." Given Helena's over protective state, Myka was afraid she'd fly out to Colorado Springs tomorrow to have ' _tea and a chat'_ with her parents. That was the Brit's code for – ' _I'll make them understand.'_

Helena sensed the mood shift though, in spite of Myka's efforts. "What do they want?" she asked knowing her in-laws well. Myka drew in a deep breath and sighed.

"What everyone wants – they want to know who…else…..might be involved in this pregnancy," Myka said, putting her head down on the pillow and staring up at the ceiling.

"Won't they be surprised when the baby is the perfect combination of us," Helena laughed, but making a mental note to call the Bering's tomorrow.

"Really?" Myka said, relieved Helena seemed so calm. She pushed up on her elbow when Helena lay down next to her.

"Oh yes," Helena smiled assuredly. "Your curls, my hair color," she began. "Your smile, my eyebrows." And Helena ran her finger across Myka's lips. "Your acuity for language, my brilliance for science."

"Oh, I get _acuity_?" Myka teased in her much improved British accent, "But you get _brilliance_?"

"Well, darling, we all have our strengths," Helena said, as Myka's hands dove in to tickle Helena who recoiled into a ball and laughed heartily.

"Well, I think she'll have my sense of humor and your impeccable manners," Myka said haughtily.

"I do have impeccable manners," Helena conceded.

"Yes, and no sense of humor," Myka countered quickly.

"No sense of humor? I beg your pardon," Helena said, feigning offense. "We Brits are known for our dry sense of humor."

"I think you mean _dried up_ ," Myka said and tried to catch Helena's hands before she could retaliate with her own tickling.

Myka couldn't ward off Helena's quick moves and soon, she was begging for Helena to stop teasing her sides. The two women fell back on the pillows, out of breath and happy, until they both slipped into sleep.

* * *

The effects of the wonderfully consuming evening were still apparent on Helena's face when she walked into her office the next day. Not only was she sporting a splendid smile, but there was a definite lilt in her gait. She greeted Sui cheerfully and waltzed into her office, leaving the door opened behind her.

This was an open invitation to anyone wishing to see the reigning CEO.

Helena sashayed to her desk, as if the office was carpeted with Cloud Nine. Her jacket discarded and the bag underneath it, close to, but not quite on the couch. She sat at her desk and opened her laptop, but didn't really see what was on it. She was too busy thinking of how she woke Myka up this morning, with the softest kisses and gentlest manipulations with her tongue until Myka pulled her own pillow over her mouth so no one would hear her. That was the way to wake up!

Morgan Styles was the first to enter the inner sanctum that morning and he could tell his boss was in a very good mood by the way she waved him in to join her. Eileen was already coming through their adjoining door with a cup of tea.

"Do you know the secret to pleasing a woman, Morgan," Helena asked, and the question stopped him in his tracks and made Eileen rattle the teacup until she steadied it with her other hand. They exchanged awkward glances and both hesitated to keep moving forward, discomfited for the other.

"I …would like to think so," Morgan answered smiling and Eileen finally placed the cup in front of her boss.

"Hi," she said and her voiced squeaked because her throat was suddenly dry.

"It is not just _one_ thing, of course," Helena continued her lecture after thanking Eileen. She looked at the woman's sudden red face quizzically, as if she could not fathom what was causing it.

"You must appeal to all her senses," the romantic intellectual continued and her staff found it all too uncomfortable. "For example…..," Helena began and was going to talk about how one should start with their lover's brain.

"OKAY!" Eileen said, doing something she had never done before – talking over her boss. "I GUESS THAT WILL BE IT," she shouted to prevent her ears from hearing anymore.

Morgan lowered his head, pressing his lips to keep the chuckle inside. He grabbed his face with his hand, rubbing his jaw as Eileen walked backwards out of the room and slammed the door shut. Helena stared at the woman's exit and then back at Morgan. "She is a curious creature."

"Perhaps it was a sensitive topic for mixed company," he suggested and smiled.

Only because she was in such a good mood, did Helena give consideration to his proposition. "Oh," she said, even though she didn't quite understand that.

One of the things Morgan enjoyed most about working at Wells Corp was the spontaneous interjections that Helena peppered her meetings with. "Where was I?" Helena asked out loud and she meant in her dissertation, but Morgan placed a business proposal on her desk and distracted her.

"Ms. Sullivan has the team right on target to distribute the hardware to the hospitals in six weeks," Morgan said as Helena looked over the paperwork.

"You make a good team," Helena commented because Morgan's experience in the biomedical distribution business complimented Eileen's natural gifts for leadership.

"She's amazing," Morgan said of the young executive. He had worked in the business world enough years to know real talent when he saw it. He was beginning to understand what Helena saw in her.

"Of course she is," Helena smiled and Morgan thanked Helena and went on his way, leaving the door opened for the next staff member who was waiting her turn.

* * *

Irene entered and greeted Helena, immediately aware that she was in a very good mood. "Nurse Brown is here," Irene announced in too cheerful a tone, but Helena didn't care. Only when she thought it was safe, did Irene walk in with her new hire behind her.

"Oh, your things fell," Gloria said, picking up Helena's jacket and bag.

Helena smiled at the action as she watched Irene bite her tongue. "Can we keep her?" the CEO asked Irene in the tone reserved for stray pets.

"I'll remember you asked me that," Irene said as she sat down and Gloria joined her.

"Welcome. I do hope your stay here at Wells Corp proves to be both enjoyable and beneficial," Helena said, giving the official greeting that she just made up.

"Thanks you, Ms. Wells," Gloria said, using Helena's professional name because she had just spent the last hour with the woman who knew all there was to know about the company.

"Call me Helena," the CEO insisted and Irene stared at her boss. She wanted to ask who she really was and what had she done with her boss, but didn't. It wasn't that Irene didn't trust it; it was that she didn't trust it would last.

"That's very kind," Gloria said and could detect the change in mood from the last time she had seen the CEO.

"Oh, and I am glad you're not wearing one of those white uniforms," Helena remarked when she saw the woman in a gray skirt and white blouse. "Although a little color wouldn't hurt," the Brit remarked because she was in the mood to help the world.

"I'll keep that in mind," Gloria laughed. She had a sense that there were many shades to her new boss. "I do wear a white coat when administering…"

"Oh, that makes sense," Helena concurred as if this were a fashion debate. "Unless people have _white coat syndrome_ and then I suggest you switch it up a bit."

Gloria glanced over at Irene and could tell this was nothing out of the ordinary. "I'll remember that," she said.

And then Irene segued into the real purpose behind their impromptu visit. "Nurse Brown has already toured the labs and has made several recommendations to improve safety," Irene started and Helena nodded at the new employee.

"We do want our scientists safe," Helena agreed, still playing nice because of her mood.

"And she'd like to reinforce some of the rules and regulations that we have in place, but that are presently being ignored," Irene said, giving this news to Helena in bite size pieces. "She'd like everyone….who works…in the labs… to retake the safely test."

"Bravo, Nurse Brown. Excellent idea. Carry on! You're already Irene's best hire of the week," Helena said, and now was wishing they'd leave. "You won't be stopping in each morning to update me on the good nurse's endeavors, will you?" she asked Irene, a sure sign they were wearing out their welcome.

"Oh no, of course not," Irene responded, and Gloria watched the back and forth and wondered if this is how they did everything. "Just _this_ endeavor ….to keep anyone who is not compliant with rules ….out of the labs," Irene explained and Helena missed that this was the punch line.

"Bravo! Diligence is next to Godliness, I always say," Helena said, rising from her seat.

Gloria finally figured out what was going on. Her esteemed boss was walking right into the news and didn't know it. "Mrs. Frederic, if you don't mind," Gloria said wondering why they weren't just coming out with it. Irene's expression read _– be my guest –_ and the nurse stood up. "Ms. Wells, it is my unfortunate duty to tell you that you are the most non-compliant staff member in the labs. Your accident rate is far above the average, and in fact, you've set a new time high it appears just last week. Now, perhaps the refresher course we're going to give so that people are prepared for the test…," the nurse was explaining when she saw the darkness fill Helena's eyes.

Irene knew this had to play out if ever this woman were to work closely with Helena. She remained seated as Helena pushed up her dress sleeves, leaned down on the desk with her opened hands. "Are you suggesting that the person with the highest IQ in this entire building …," Helena started, her arm now waving through the air, "…take …a …test…before…she goes back into the labs…to do work that is unmatched and unparalleled?"

If there were a test waiting for Helena downstairs, this was Gloria's test right here. She was experiencing the quickness of Helena's mood change and her defiance all in one meeting. The smirk on Helena's face was enough to make some people spontaneously combust. Gloria never flinched. She was too busy watching the change in Helena's breathing, the rapid pulse in her neck, and the flush of color in her face. She hit a nerve, she thought.

"Yes," the woman said without quivering.

Helena's head shot to look at Irene who pulled back in her seat just a little as if to say – ' _Don't look at me_.' Wasn't Irene always telling Helena to lead by example? Was this yet another one of those times when Helena had to pretend she was like everyone else?

She hated that.

Irene did know how to help make Helena's decision easier though. "I thought Nurse Brown could check in on Myka after this," Irene said, reminding Helena of why she might want to keep the nurse around.

It worked.

Irene could read the concession in Helena's face. It was like putting water on a campfire – the flames died out, but there was still embers floating about. "Fine! Bring your test to me," Helena said, glaring at Irene as if this were her idea.

"Oh, it's a practical test. You'll have to demonstrate your knowledge in the lab," Gloria explained because she was truly keen about safety.

Helena actually thought it was the right way to do it, but she wasn't about to let the new hire know that. "Have Sui schedule something. Now, would you mind if I turned my attention to the duties befitting the CEO of a company?"

"Of course," Irene said, getting up from her seat. No one knew Helena's limits like Irene and they were right up against one. Gloria thanked her for seeing them and they left. Helena's mood was slightly altered now that she was irritated. She knew what to do to unload those feelings. She reached over and buzzed Sui on the phone.

"Get Jeannie and Warren Bering on the phone," she instructed him and waited. "Time for tea and a chat with my in-laws."


	30. A Handful

**A big thank you to those reading along. I do appreciate it.**

 **And this was supposed to be the 'short' installment. lol  
**

* * *

 **A Handful**

* * *

There was a time when Helena would have given no thought to getting the Bering's on the phone and blasting them for upsetting Myka. But as Sui attempted to reach them, she knew what she had to do first. "Never mind," she said to her secretary android as she took the elevator downstairs. Walking up to Myka's door, she turned to Millie and waited. "She's free," Millie responded, surprised at Helena's hesitancy. Then, Helena knocked and waited. Yes, _waited_ , before going in.

Millie wrote down the date and time, should she ever need it for her memoirs.

"Hello, you," Helena said softly as she peeked in.

"Hello, you," Myka responded and Millie ' _aww'd_ outside because she knew her boss' face just lit up.

"I was just going to do something and thought perhaps," Helena started as she walked to Myka's couch and met her. She kissed her before finishing with - "….I should ask you what you thought first."

"Su-re," Myka responded, the word drawn out a bit while she tried to guess what this was about. The two women sat next to one another, Myka's right knee touching Helena's left knee.

"I was going to call your parents," Helena said and Myka interjected as she smiled, - "Oh, _for tea and a chat?"_

Helena frowned at how Myka just used the same words she had. "Well, I don't know if they're having tea….," Helena tried.

Myka laughed at how literal her wife could be. She reached out and held Helena's hands. "What exactly were you going to say to them?"

"Well," Helena hesitated as she thought about it. Had she called them from her office, she was sure the words would come, but telling Myka ahead of time proved more challenging. "I want them to understand …" she continued.

"That you scientifically engineered a way for our child to have both our genes?" Myka asked, the slightest smirk on her face. Myka was, of course, assuming that they were keeping to their decision not telling anyone. Helena knew she was right.

"Then, let me assure them we chose the highest quality in our selection," Helena said.

"Fine," Myka agreed, because if anyone deserved a call from Helena, it was her parents. "But, Helena, please remember that once they start talking, we just never know where they're going to go." The concern in Myka's voice was evident.

"We'll manage," Helena said, kissing Myka as she motioned to dial them.

Myka pressed speed dial for their number and Jeannie answered. "Your father and I were just sitting down to lunch," she said and that was good because her father never liked to talk personal stuff when he was downstairs at the store.

"How is business, Mrs. Bering?" Helena asked, still unable to call her mother-in-law anything else.

"Oh, it's booming, Helena," Jeannie said, but Helena already knew that _. One of the projects Eileen was in charge of was making sure the inventory at Bering & Family Bookstore included hard to get books and first editions, many of which came from Helena's own library. Eileen had to practically bend Warren's arm to also be the sole distributor of the HG Wells television show collectibles, which included action figures, games, and such. _ "We can't get that _HG Wells_ stuff on the shelves fast enough, which is amazing because, you know; it depicts HG…..as a woman!" Jeannie said her mouth full of laughter.

"Yes, I knew that," Helena said, her tone dripping in syrupy sarcasm.

"Mom, I thought it might help you guys if we told you ….a little more….about the pregnancy," Myka started and her mother interrupted her.

"We just want what's best for you, honey," her mother said.

"Fortunately, what you _want_ is what I _gave_ her," Helena murmured, but not too low they couldn't hear her.

"What does that mean? You picked the father?" Warren asked and Helena flailed about on the couch, until Myka put her hand on her knee to steady her. "I hope he was a quarterback," he whispered.

"Mom, Dad, there is…no father," Myka started, but her father protested that there had to be because that's what it took to make a baby. "Maybe we should take this one step at a time," she whispered to Helena, who knew she was right.

"We just wanted to make sure that you went to a reputable place. You know, one who only takes smart people with good jobs," Jeannie said because naturally they believed their daughter was impregnated with a donor sperm.

"I assure you, Mr. and Mrs. Bering that the …. _donor_ ….," Helena said, and she nearly choked on the word, "….. is of the highest caliber God has ever made." She knew she was being haughty, but she didn't care.

"Yes, that's very true," Myka said, smiling and kissing Helena's almost pouting lower lip.

"What about family medical history?" Warren asked, not to be outdone. "You want to make sure his family isn't lunatics."

Helena lunged forward, but Myka gave her the – _we knew what we were getting into by making this call_ – look. "Everything was checked, Dad," Myka said, giving them the short answer.

"Although if mental illness is a concern, Mr. Bering, we could always send out an investigative team of psychiatrists to Colorado Springs," Helena spat out. Myka covered her mouth to keep from laughing at the sarcastic remark.

"What could _we_ tell them?" Jeannie asked, thinking that Helena meant about the donor.

"Oh, plenty I'm sure," Helena remarked, unable to hold her tongue.

"Mom, everything is fine. I'm feeling good and Helena is great, so we're all good," Myka assured her parents.

"Okay, if you say so, honey," her mother answered, which Myka knew meant – _well if you won't tell us, we'll have to accept what you're saying, even though we think there's more to it._

"Okay, Mom, we have to go," Myka said when she knew Helena couldn't take another minute.

"Oh, your father has a question, Myka. Go ahead, Warren, they're on speaker. They can hear you," Jeannie said and in spite of that, Warren yelled his question.

"Why don't they make _real_ HG Wells action figures? I mean, I really think the _boy ones_ would sell much better," Warren suggested and Myka grabbed the phone before Helena could reach it, and shouted their goodbyes quickly.

"Oh, sweetie," Myka said, kissing Helena's head because she had turned and fallen into Myka's lap out of sheer exhaustion from that conversation. "I know that was hard."

"I think we should have them tested, Myka. Perhaps you're not related after all," Helena wished, hoped and dreamed.

Myka let her finger run the length of her wife's dark eyebrows, a soothing gesture that relaxed the furrow in Helena's brow. "I know they're …..," she started and Helena was more than happy to fill in the blank.

"Exasperating? Vexing? Annoying? Troublesome? Taxing?" and she only slowed down when Myka covered her mouth in a kiss. Even with that – Myka could hear Helena still trying to say - _maddening, irksome and wearing'._ When she stopped her litany, Myka finally released her lips.

"You know, I was thinking," Myka said, now playing with a strand of Helena's straight hair. "Maybe you should tell Irene."

She immediately saw Helena's eyes light up and she turned quickly to sit up. "Yes, that is a good idea," Helena said, thinking it over. Myka saw it as the safely valve on Helena having to keep this secret. Irene surely would safe guard it and Helena would at least have the satisfaction that one person in the world knew the truth. "You don't mind?"

"No, and I think it should come from you," Myka said, knowing Helena _might_ hold back bragging in her presence. A little. Maybe.

"I'll tell her now," Helena said, showing her gratitude in a hard kiss before she rushed to the door. "Thank you, Myka," she said, because she knew why Myka was suggesting this.

* * *

Helena wasted no time in getting to Irene's office and of course, did not pause to be announced. Slamming the door behind her, she found Irene alone at her desk.

"What I am about to tell you is nothing short of amazing, but it should come as no surprise," she announced and then thought about that and added, "If it does surprise you at all, I will have to reconsider my thoughts about your slightly above average intelligence," she pondered out loud.

"Oh! Well, I wouldn't want you to have to do that," Irene said, putting down her pen and paying attention.

Helena sat down in the chair in front of her desk and waited. Irene turned her head slightly, knowing she was supposed to ' _get'_ something, but wasn't quite sure what it was. Helena's deep sigh told Irene she was stretching her patience. When Helena finally arched her eyebrow and tilted her head toward the chair next to her, Irene finally realized she wanted her to sit there. Biting her lip and then uttering – "Oh, yes, thanks for reminding me," she got up and went to the chair _. Had she not explained the purpose of the more intimate setting to Helena just the other day?_

"So tell me, Helena, what is your news?" Irene asked, now that she was in position.

"There is no donor," Helena said, proudly and slapping the arms rests for punctuation.

"There …is…no….," Irene repeated slowly, praying a spark would ignite.

"The baby is truly Myka's and mine," Helena said, smiling.

Irene pushed back in her seat to think about this. "You did something to the egg before in vitro?" she guessed wrong _. Upon hearing the news of the pregnancy, Irene was so thrilled that she never even thought to ask the how's. It was none of her business; an attitude she wished the world would adopt._

"No, I built the spermatozoon like bio-vehicle that carried my genetic material to Myka's egg," Helena said, practically swooning.

"So…the…baby…is…?" Irene said slowly, trying to grasp this fantastic notion. When she finally realized that this baby would truly be Helena's too, tears formed in her eyes. "….Yours?"

"Yes, mine and Myka's," Helena repeated, glad Irene was impressed, surprised she was going to cry.

"Oh, I don't know what to say. Helena….," Irene said, grabbing her flat pocketbook off the desk and pulling out a tissue to wipe her nose. "I'm ….so happy for you both."

Irene was so taken with the fact that Helena would have the chance that she was robbed of years ago – to have her flesh and blood – a piece of her – to carry forward. "You are…remarkable. You are a genius," Irene gushed as she considered that this had never been done before.

"Thank you, Irene," Helena said and wished Myka's parents had a fraction of this woman's warmth.

" _Your_ … baby," Irene said, beaming as if she were truly the grandmother, which she was for all intents and purposes.

"I needed someone to know," Helena said, relieved that she could share the secret.

"And you chose me?" Irene asked, genuinely impressed. "I'm honored." In spite of being Helena's former _One_ , Irene never assumed anything.

Helena spent so much time bantering with the woman, that heartfelt moments like these took her a moment to process. "Of course I would choose you," Helena almost chastised her friend. "You are the closest thing to a grandmother this child will know," Helena blurted out and then quickly added – "Don't tell Myka I said that."

Irene pressed her lips together not to let out the laugh that bubbled inside at that remark. "Do you _really_ think I'm old enough to be the grandmother?" she asked Helena, who was rising out of her seat.

"Some days you're old enough to be my grandmother," Helena said, having her fill of being emotional for the day.

Irene let that one go.

* * *

When Helena left Irene's office, she felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She was ready to take on the world. "I'll take that test now," she said to Gloria when she saw her in the hallway.

"Now would be fine," Gloria said and went downstairs with her boss to the floor where they were conducting the assessments.

"You know, I have my own lab at home," Helena bragged, but the nurse took note of that.

"Is that so?" she asked as she informed the PhD in charge that they were there for the safety test.

"And I can make my own amino acids," Helena said, because – that was damn impressive.

The nurse was fascinated, but was more concerned about dangerous chemicals that might be in the home. "I'd like to suggest that you have someone take a look at the lab in your home to be on the safe side," Gloria suggested.

Helena looked at the woman. She had a good point, but she made it before Helena thought of it.

"Are you always going to be this annoying? Because I already have someone in my life that does that job with aplomb," Helena said, staring at the shorter woman.

"You do?" Gloria asked, smart enough to play along.

"Yes, and she's been at it long enough now that she has it down to a science. So, please, find someone else because I cannot bare two," Helena said – and meant it.

"I'll tell you what," Gloria said, smiling up at Helena. "You pass this safety test and I'll do my best not to get in your way," the woman proposed.

"Madam, you couldn't create a test that I couldn't pass," Helena said because this woman didn't know her.

Instead of being flummoxed by the confident CEO's declarations, Gloria smiled and said - "I like you, Helena." Irene was right - she had never met anyone quite like this woman.

Someone alerted Irene that Helena was taking the test and she was quick on her heels to get down there. It seemed Irene was getting more protective of Helena without realizing it. She rushed into the room in such a manner that was so unlike her that everyone turned and stared. Suddenly, Irene realized her actions. "Good luck," she said, and cringed at how bad that sounded. She knew Helena would stare at her the hardest.

Instead, Helena pulled back a little and whispered to the nurse: "Check her blood pressure."

"Trust me, Helena, you two are next on my list," the woman said as the scientist asked Helena to name the ten security risks they had staged in the lab.

Helena took one glance, named nine of them and then pondered the last one. She looked over at a table and noticed two combustible chemicals near one another. She was bored by what she considered to be a less than challenging exam. "This is the best you could come up with?" she asked walking over to the table, and Gloria explained that it was a safety test, not the entrance exam to Harvard.

"Pfft! Harvard," Helena scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Now remember, Nurse Brown, once I name the tenth error _du jour_ ," the Brit reminded her, "You will stay out of my way."

With that, Helena went to point to the two chemicals that should never be near one another and accidently knocked one of them over, spilling the contents onto her hand when she instinctively grabbed for it. The sulfuric acid instantly scorched her skin and people ran at her to take immediate action. The scientist on duty jumped and put a soapy water solution in a container and submerged Helena's hand in it. Gloria ran to get the first aid kit, but it was Irene who was right next to Helena, as the Brit demanded they all stop carrying on.

"Who was responsible for that beaker?" Irene shouted because someone had not done their job. The man in charge said he would investigate it, but that ultimately it was his responsibility. As Gloria examined Helena's hand and put it back in the wet solution, Irene leaned over towards the man responsible and growled in a low voice – "I want to see you in my office later." Never had Irene used such a harsh tone and people took second looks to make sure it wasn't Helena who just barked that order.

"I'm okay," Helena said in a low voice because she had never seen her friend so heated looking. The sound of Helena's calm voice got through to Irene who turned her attention back to her.

"Shouldn't she go to the hospital?" Irene asked the attending nurse. She was already alerting Pete.

"We should have a doctor look at it, yes, but I think she'll be okay, thanks to Dr. Campbell's quick thinking," she said, picking up Helena's hand out of the solution to examine it again and trying to help the man who was fearful of losing his job at the moment.

The mention of the man's name made Irene stare at him again – hard. Even though Gloria knew Irene the least amount of time, she too, thought this was unusual behavior for the typically very calm woman. "She's going to be okay," the nurse said, gently touching Irene's hand and taking her pulse without being detected.

Pete burst through the door, his one arm in his jacket, the other thrashing about as he demanded to know what happened. Irene told him that it was an accident and that she thought it best that a doctor see Helena's hand.

"You got quite the army here," Gloria said to Helena as Pete wondered out loud if he should get Myka and Irene said she would take care of that. The two danced momentarily in the doorway as Pete tried to come in and Irene tried to exit. "Out of my way, Mr. Lattimer!" Irene demanded and won the struggle.

"I'm not going to the doctor, I'm fine," Helena told Gloria because she was the only one listening.

"Not sure you gonna have a choice," the nurse replied.

"Don't be ridiculous," Helena answered and winced when the nurse took her hand out of the solution, patted it gently and applied salve and gauze.

"Mmm, mmm, mmm," the nurse uttered as Irene marched back in with Myka.

"Are you okay?" Myka asked and her face got pale when she saw the bandage on her wife's hand. "I want to see it!" she demanded and Gloria obliged her and picked up the gauze.

"I don't think there's any permanent damage," the RN said, trying to calm their fears.

"I want her to see a doctor," Myka said and Irene second the vote. She said she would call Vanessa to get the best dermatologist to look at Helena's hand.

Gloria looked at Helena as if to say – ' _You've got no choice now_.'

"I want you to come with us," Myka said and when Helena tried to say that this was too much of a fuss because she had done the exact same thing in her own lab in the basement, the room fell silent.

"A…very…long time ago," Helena added weakly.

* * *

With minutes, Pete had the car ready and Myka held Helena's hand like it was fine crystal as they walked out of the building. Helena tried to assure them she was okay, because Myka was always the antidote, but no one would listen.

Myka was trying to tell Pete the best way to go to the Upper East Side as she sat on one side of Helena, and Irene was asking him to take the short cut through Central Park so they could save time. Gloria sat in the front seat and prayed for all of them because Pete was swerving in and out of traffic.

When they arrived at the doctor's office, Pete approached Helena like he was about to carry her in, and she pulled back to make sure he didn't. "Get the door, Pete," Myka commanded and the man rushed to open the door and hold it. Inside the office, a few patients were already sitting there, but Myka made such a fuss at the nurse's desk – demanding that Helena had to be seen immediately – that they finally asked Helena and her entourage to come back into the smaller waiting room.

The one most surprised by Myka's outburst was Helena, who cautiously remained silent. Myka's mind was racing and although it didn't look awful when Gloria lifted up the bandage, she could definitely see burn marks where the chemical had splashed. Myka paced the room, even though there was no space to do so. "What happened?" she finally asked and Irene explained that it was an accident.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're back," Helena said of Irene's calmer demeanor. "I thought I lost you to the dark side for a moment," she said, trying to make light of the situation. No one laughed. Not even Pete who taught Helena about Star Wars.

* * *

The doctor was informed by her nurse that Helena Wells was there with an entire group of people and they were making all kinds of noise. The only one not making noise was Gloria, as she watched the drama play out in front of her. Helena assuring them she was okay was met with Myka yelling that someone was careless in the lab, Irene asserting she would write them up and Pete stating that he thought someone should be assigned to his boss to make all her calls because it was her right hand. "How will she eat?" he asked with great concern.

The doctor could hear them down the hallway and decided to see for herself. When she opened up the door to the examination room, everyone quieted down and had to shift around to make room so the doctor could step in.

"Ms. Wells, I'm Doctor Chen," the 30-something dermatologist introduced herself and Helena greeted her. Then three people started talking at once to tell her what happened.

"I really don't think you should be chit-chatting when she needs attention," Myka blurted out and everyone heard Pete say .."Oh, snap!"

Finally, Gloria introduced herself and explained the scenario of what happened and what actions had been taken. Again, people moved around so the doctor could examine Helena's hand. She donned special headgear that allowed her to examine the skin closely.

"You know sometimes when they do grafting, they take it from your butt," Pete blurted out because he was so nervous and then everyone yelled at him to stop talking. Myka stood next to Helena and rubbed her shoulder as the doctor examined her. Irene watched intently from the other side of the table and Pete bit down hard on his own hand when the doctor touched the wound and Helena flinched.

"She's going to be fine," the doctor finally said. "Fortunately, your quick acting stopped the chemical from doing any permanent damage. I'm going to give you some salve and I want this dressing changed every day. Also, an oral antibiotic in case of infection," she said directly to Gloria.

"I told you I was fine," Helena said to Myka who asked the doctor ten more questions.

"It's going to be tender and I would not use your hand if you can help it," the doctor said and wrote out the scripts.

Helena thanked the doctor and then Myka, Irene and Pete all walked her out, while the doctor handed the prescriptions to Gloria. The nurse followed them out, watching as Pete scrambled to get the doors, Myka snarled at a photographer who followed them up there, and Irene put herself between Helena and anyone curious onlooker who approached.

"Oh, Lordy, what will they be like when the baby comes?" the nurse wondered to herself as she watched.

The woman had _no_ idea.


	31. Getting to Know You

**Thank you to everyone who posted on the last chapter and shared how humorous they thought it was.  
That indeed was the point. It's easy when you have such wonderful characters as Pete to write about.  
**

 **Cheers.**

* * *

 **Getting to Know You**

Gloria had no choice but to join the troupe when they went to the Townhouse after seeing the doctor. She asked Myka where she could get the prescriptions filled and went to take care of that when the others went inside. Helena begged everyone to stop making a fuss, but it was like a three ring spectacle of concern. Myka gingerly removed her wife's coat and tossed it across the width of the hallway as Helena watched in amazement. "I want Gloria to keep an eye on this," she said and Irene suggested the nurse stay the night. "Great idea," Myka agreed. Helena tried to protest, but _no one_ was listening.

Helena hardly knew what that was like.

Leena came out and asked what happened and each one told the story – simultaneously. Helena's head was beginning to hurt more than her hand. Leena said she would prepare some food and Pete was the first one to go in and ask her to cut up Helena's food - whatever she was making. As soon as he exited through the door to the dining room, Irene came into the kitchen from the hallway and instructed that whatever Leena was making, it should be cut up in bite size pieces – but not to make it obvious. Irene escaped through the dining room just as Myka came in and Leena said – "Let me guess? Cut everything into bite size pieces?" Myka looked at her curiously, because she had no idea what she was talking about. "What? No, but could you sauté chicken with vegetables so that Helena doesn't notice the pieces are small?"

"Great idea," Leena concurred – the third time she heard it.

* * *

Pete had already alerted Claudia and Eileen by asking Claudia if she could build a left handed keyboard. " _You know, like put most of the keys on the left side_?" he suggested and meant it.

"Something's wrong," Claudia said and she and Eileen went directly to the townhouse. They arrived just as Gloria was making her way back with the medicine. "What happened?" they asked, rushing at the nurse who was unsure of just who they were. It took a moment for the woman to recognize the pair she had met briefly that morning.

"There was an accident, but Ms. Wells is…," she got out before the couple took off up the stone steps and into the house.

"Oh good, I was afraid we'd run out of over-reactive people," Gloria said, holding onto the railing and walking up the steps to the front door.

"You the nurse?" she heard behind her and jumped. She turned to see a woman in a tan trench coat and fedora, standing there accompanied by a NYPD police officer.

"Yessss," Gloria said, wondering if she wore her profession as blatantly as the young cop in uniform.

"Detective Tierney," Jane introduced herself, and Gloria could not imagine that someone had called the cops to investigate what happened. "This is Officer Bell."

Gloria said hello as Jane and her protégé joined her at the front door. "They installed this fancy finger print security system, but …It's rarely locked," Jane said as she pushed opened the door for the nurse to enter first. "You should talk to them about that."

"Did someone call you about the accident?" the nurse inquired, as she went inside, the law following behind her.

"You could say that," Jane replied cryptically because it was Pete who called.

"And you're here to….. _investigate_?" Gloria asked confused.

"About the accident? No; in spite of what my fiancée says, I don't think the death penalty is applicable here," Jane explained.

"There is no death penalty in New York, Sir," Officer Bell reported.

"She's very smart," Jane said of her protégé.

* * *

Gloria walked further inside and looked up at the grandeur of the entryway. It was like something out of one of those magazines on fancy homes. Suddenly, Pete appeared and rushed into the hallway to greet them. "Oh good! You're here," he said to Jane. "The Eagle is wounded, the Dove is _not_ calm and I'm pretty sure Yoda has joined the Dark Side," Pete all but squealed as he gave her the update.

"I'm sorry - the who? The what?" Gloria asked, totally confused by his vernacular.

Pete looked at the newest member of the staff and stared for a long minute, trying to determine what to call her. "R2D2 is not up to speed," he said, jerking his head in her direction. Gloria was smart enough to figure out she had just received her code name.

"Got it," Jane said and was sincere.

One of the reasons Pete was certain he had chosen the right woman to marry was because Jane was the _only_ person who tolerated his enthusiasm for code names. It had been something Pete suggested over and over again, but to no avail. Jane might have agreed to its usefulness, but she found it hard to keep up with the changes Pete kept making.

"Oh, just when I thought this couldn't get any weirder," the nurse said out loud.

"Lady, you have no idea," Jane said as Pete relayed what had happened.

Irene finally emerged from the library where Helena was resting under the careful eye of her wife. "Oh good," Irene said when she saw the detective. "I'm glad you're here."

"You're not thinking of …pressing charges, are you?" Gloria asked, still confused by the police presence.

Irene looked at the woman and realized she was confused. "No, of course, not. I'll handle him _myself_ ," Irene threatened …and meant it. She was just happy someone was there to keep Pete calm.

Pete's eyes widened and he pulled his lips back as he said through them; "See? Dark side?" to Jane.

"You okay there, Mrs. Frederic?" Jane asked, because the HR Director's demeanor was noticeably different. Seeing Helena in pain had shredded a few layers of Irene's calmness.

"Please get that inside to Helena," Irene directed the nurse, who took one long look around the group before she left. But before she took one step, Bridget burst through the door, proving Jane's point that the door was rarely locked.

"Need me to stand guard outside?" Officer Bell asked her superior officer.

"OH MY GOD! WHAT HAPPENED?" Bridget shouted, having gotten the news when she went to Wells Corp for a meeting.

"Eagle's down, Dove hovering closely, Yoda teetering on the Dark Side and R2D2…is new," Pete said and Bridget, who never heard the code names, nonetheless, immediately got it.

"I swear, Pete, if you make me Chewbacca, I'll kill you," Bridget said, because her height could entice the man to give her that name.

Gloria had stopped momentarily - because any time Bridget made an entrance, people noticed. "This is Nurse Brown," Irene provided the introduction.

"She needed a nurse?" Bridget wondered out loud.

"Ms. Brown is on our staff at Wells Corp," Irene explained, hoping to quell the animated woman's curiosity.

"Is Helena okay? Can I see her? How is Myka doing? " Bridget asked Irene, because she knew who was really in charge.

Irene nodded to follow Gloria and pointed toward the library so the nurse would know where to go. Bridget dashed ahead and shouted, "This way," thinking she was being helpful.

"We are one tent short of a full circus," Gloria said under her breath as she followed the statuesque woman inside to where the patient was.

* * *

Myka had insisted Helena sit down on the couch and rest. Eileen was already in the kitchen preparing her tea. Helena was attempting again to assure Myka she was fine and in no pain. She thought they should return to work, but Myka wouldn't hear of it. Truth be told, Helena rather enjoyed Myka hovering over her, taking care of her. She was worried, however, that Myka seemed so anxious.

The new level of anxious was about to come through the door.

Bridget knocked, but no one was surprised that she was in the door before anyone suggested she enter. "Oh, Helena, I heard it was an accident in the lab! Are you okay? How are you, Myka?" Bridget asked in one long sentence. "What can I do?"

"Helena's hand is burned," Myka explained with feeling and Bridget gasped.

"Are you okay? Let me see," the investment banker insisted because nothing really scared her.

"Absolutely not!" Myka stated and her tone was the only thing that made her high-spirited friend pause.

"Oh, okay, sure," Bridget said, slowing down. "Are you guys ok?"

Helena looked up at the visitor and then looked back at Myka, giving the clear indication that she was okay, but Myka – no so much. As much as she adored her wife's caretaking, she could hear the stress in her tone.

"Oh," Bridget said, getting the message. "Maybe Leena could make you tea," the friend said, taking Myka by the shoulders, "…while Nurse Brown checks Helena's hand?" Bridget was more guessing than suggesting. She was pulling, but Myka wasn't budging.

"Yes, Darling," Helena said, grateful the woman picked up on her eye language. "Gloria can change the bandage or do _whatever_ she does and you can have some ….thing," Helena suggested because she couldn't imagine Leena's tea would help anything.

* * *

Just then Eileen came in with the tea, with Claudia following her. "Are you okay, Boss?" Claudia asked and Myka told the two new visitors the whole story.

"Lemme see. No, I don't want to….okay, I'll look," Claudia said all in one breath. All eyes fell upon her and she answered with – "What?"

"Maybe I should stay to make sure that's not too hot," Myka said of the Sullivan-made tea that Helena could practically taste – even though it wasn't being provided to her just yet.

"I'll make sure it's not too hot," Eileen assured Myka and didn't put the cup down near Helena as the Brit desperately wished.

"Okay, I'll go …freshen up….and be right back," Myka said and let Bridget gently push her forward out the door.

"What are _we_ doing?" Claudia asked as she went to one side of the nurse and Eileen stood on the other. Gloria turned her head from side to side to look at her literal sidekicks.

" _We_ are going to look at Ms. Wells' hand, apply some salve, give her an antibiotic with water and let her rest," Gloria shared.

"Yeah, that's good. Okay," Claudia said and took her place next to Helena, waiting. Eileen assumed her post on the other side of her boss and waited, too.

"What are you doing?" came the booming voice through the door. It was so unlike any they heard before, that the two women jumped in their seats.

"Whoa!" Claudia said, grasping her heart. "Mrs. F! I didn't know who that was for a minute." Even Eileen stared at Irene who seemed to fill the doorway.

"You cannot be in here when the nurse is changing her bandages," Irene said, and stood there, waving them to get out.

"You better go," Helena said to both of them and meant it. "She's cranky."

The two women shot up and then slowly moved past the HR Director. "Holy crap!" Claudia mouthed to Pete in the hallway - who said – "I told you!"

* * *

"I would like my tea," Helena mentioned in the most pitiful voice because she was tired and really just wanted her tea.

"Not yet," Irene said and Helena rolled her eyes.

"I'll be a quick as I can," Gloria said, because while she didn't understand it, she knew the patient wanted that tea.

"You can't do that yet," Irene snapped and didn't care what she sounded like. She turned quickly on her heels and went out of the room.

Gloria, who was certain she heard Irene moments ago request that she attend to Helena, looked at her patient. Helena suddenly felt the need to explain to the nurse. "She's…. not usually like this at all," Helena heard herself say and couldn't believe _she_ was explaining _Irene's_ behavior.

"Aha," Gloria said, because after what she witnessed today, she was beginning to suspect that all of this was normal – for the group. Impressing Helena beyond measure, the nurse went to the table and felt the teacup. "I think you can have this now." Then, sitting next to Helena, she lifted the cup up so Helena could take it with her left hand. She watched as the woman took a long sip and closed her eyes. She had never seen anyone enjoy a cup of tea the way this woman in front of her was at the moment.

"Favorite drink?" Gloria guessed.

"Depends on who makes it," Helena said and when she heard Irene coming back, she quickly drained the cup as if it were her last. Gloria took the cup back and looked into the bottom of it, wondering how someone could drink it so quickly.

* * *

Irene had marched into the kitchen and informed Myka that she thought it best if she sat with Helena while Gloria applied the salve. She no sooner shared the thought then Myka was on her feet and going with her to the library.

"Can you imagine what they'll be like when it's time to have the baby?" Bridget asked Leena.

"I can imagine that I will take vacation around that time," the Townhouse Director said and laughed.

* * *

Irene passed Pete, Jane, Officer Bell, Claudia and Eileen in the entryway as they all stood back and out of her way. It didn't help things that Pete started to hum the Star Wars _Imperial March_ theme song as Irene went by. That even caused Officer Bell to almost crack a smile.

As soon as she reentered the room, Myka asked how Helena was and she smiled and said she felt good. She sat down on Helena's left side on the couch and held Helena's left hand. Only then, did Irene tell Gloria she could proceed. The nurse wondered why it was necessary to have Myka here, but didn't say a word. Apparently, she decided, this group did things she had never seen before. Gloria set up the antiseptic tray and gently placed Helena's hand on it and began to open the bandage.

"She won't feel it now," Irene assured the nurse, in spite of how tender the affected area was.

Irene knew something the nurse didn't know yet; Staring into Myka's green eyes was the perfect antidote to Helena's pain. The nurse began the procedure of reapplying the salve on the sensitive areas.

Helena never felt a thing.

Gloria finished up and suggested that Helena rest until dinner. What she really meant was for everyone to stop popping in to see her. Myka pulled a blanket up on the couch as Helena reclined on it. Myka sat at the end of the couch, so Helena could rest her head in her lap. In spite of her protests that she wasn't tired, the Brit fell asleep in this position within minutes.

* * *

Gloria and Irene slipped into the hallway where Irene reminded her they wanted her to spend the night.

"We can get your clothes," Claudia said, nudging Pete, her co-conspirator in all things. "Where do you live?"

"We don't even need a key," Pete said and then realized he just shared that they knew how to break into an apartment. A habit that only increased the more nervous he got.

"The fact that I am a NYPD detective, armed with a NYPD cop, in no way deters them," Jane said to the nurse.

Gloria looked at Irene for – well, anything. "I think if you drive Nurse Brown to her home, she could get what she needs and return before dinner," Irene suggested.

And with that, Pete, Claudia, and Eileen all proceeded to the front door to go with the nurse. "Shotgun!" Claudia called.

"Do they always do everything …together?" Gloria inquired of the group she was getting to know.

"You're going to learn to love them like family," Jane said as she and Officer Bell left as well. _The young infatuated cop made a mental note that she wanted to be a part of this group and would make it her goal to be included_. She ran and opened the car door for Jane as Gloria watched from the doorway.

The nurse turned and looked at Irene, the most _rational_ of the group she decided, but Irene was already hurrying her along. Gloria wanted to be respectful, because that was something she always prided herself on. "Do you think I should stay the night?" she asked Irene gingerly.

It was obvious the way Irene moved her eyes back and forth that she was giving the question careful considering. "You're right," the woman finally said.

" _Finally_!" the nurse thought to herself. " _Someone is sensible enough to think this through_!" "I thought you'd see….." Gloria began, but never got to finish.

"Get enough things for _two_ nights. Just in case," Irene said, before she put her hand gently, yet firmly, on the nurse's shoulder and sent her on her way.

And that was the end of that.

* * *

 **Up next: Something that Helena and the Nurse have in common.  
**


	32. The English Patient

**Thanks to everyone who posted and reached out to express how you enjoyed the group's reaction to Helena.  
Now, it's Helena's turn.**

 **Thanks to AsgardianBlade who always tells me if I'm going astray with these beloved characters.**

* * *

 **The English Patient**

Gloria was more than gracious in inviting the threesome into her abode, seeing how they were practically on her heels. As Helena's bodyguard, Pete felt it was his duty to find out anything he could about the woman who would be staying at the Townhouse that evening. He began to visually scan the room for clues about the nurse's background.

"She's got kids," he said, looking at two frames, each containing a son in a graduation gown. "Smart kids," he said and his friends looked at him and wondered how he knew that. An old wedding picture on the shelf was the only thing that indicated Gloria had a husband. "She's married," he whispered and Claudia and Eileen looked at each other – both thinking the wedding band on her finger could have told them that. "He's not here because this place is definitely a _chick_ apartment," Pete said, stretching his arm in front of his mouth so only Eileen and Claudia could hear him. He determined this by sizing up the woman's living room furniture.

"That's the _same_ couch that was in your apartment before you moved in with Jane," Claudia pointed out. Pete's head swung to look at the floral pattern. "Are you sure?" he asked in disbelief.

"Well, she's an _HG Wells_ fan," Eileen smiled, noticing several of the author's books on a shelf.

"Helena will like that," Claudia remarked.

Gloria gathered a few things and put them in a small suitcase and returned to her guests in the living room. No one mentioned the collection of books, but Pete did ask about her sons.

"They're both away at college," she said and offered no more, although Eileen noticed how warm her smile was when she looked over at the pictures.

"She's hiding something," Pete whispered to Claudia who looked at him in disbelief. There was a vibe in this apartment, but he couldn't place what it was.

"I hope you and Jane never open up your own detective agency," the techie whispered back as they returned downtown to the Townhouse.

* * *

Back at the Bering-Wells residence, Helena had fallen asleep instantly in Myka's lap and remained there for quite some time. Myka didn't move and watched carefully as Helena grimaced in her sleep if she moved her hand. " _Stop being so brave_ ," Myka whispered to her unconscious lover, hoping her words would reach her. Irene came in quietly and asked Myka if she needed anything, but Myka had all she wanted right there. The only time she took her eyes off Helena was to answer Irene. Other than that, she held her wife in her gaze, gently touching her face or stroking her hair to keep Helena in slumber.

* * *

The group eventually reentered the townhouse and found Irene waiting for them. She asked Leena to show Gloria where to put her things upstairs.

"So…., Mrs. F," Pete said, watching to make sure the nurse was far enough away so she wouldn't hear him, "…..how well do we know this woman?," he asked in a hushed tone.

Irene stared at him and told him they had done a thorough background, credit check, as well as fingerprints. "Why, Mr. Lattimer?" she asked.

"Pete thinks her _couch_ looked suspicious," Claudia said in a very serious tone and then cracked up.

"Just a vibe," he said, making sure no one was around.

Irene had long listened to Pete when it came to his vibes because he had proven on more than one occasion to be onto something; especially when it came to Helena. "A …bad vibe?" Irene asked cautiously.

"No, not bad," Pete admitted and then the word popped into his head. "Old."

"Anyone over twenty-five gives you an old vibe," the techie kidded him and then looked at Irene, adding quickly; "Present company excluded, of course."

* * *

Gloria appeared with Leena at the top of the steps and the trio excused themselves and went into the dining room. Leena returned to the kitchen to get dinner ready for the group.

"How is Helena doing?" Gloria asked when she got back downstairs.

"She's still resting," Irene said and then made her decision. "A word, please, Nurse Brown?" she asked and pointed to the living room across the hall. The woman followed Irene into another massive room and sat on the couch where Irene indicated she should sit.

"Ms. Brown," Irene started and the nurse said she wished Irene would call her by her first name. "Gloria, as you no doubt know, the women you are now medically responsible for are celebrities to the press, objects of curiosity to the general public, and for a rare few, obsessions. I know you are a woman of discretion, but I feel compelled to reiterate that anything witness or interact in, must be handled with the utmost confidentiality. I hope you understand that given the fact you are now involved in their personal lives, I need to insist on this," Irene said.

Gloria immediately responded that she understood completely and assured Irene that she would never divulge any information she was privy to. " _No one would believe me_ ," she thought to herself.

"Thank you, Gloria," Irene said, getting up from her seat.

"I think it's wonderful the way y'all come to her rescue," Gloria said as the two were leaving the room. "Yet," she continued, getting to her point. "Helena does not strike me as the type that likes to be rescued."

Irene stopped in her tracks. The woman didn't sound accusatory or flippant. Her tone was very matter of fact and she wore a pleasant smile as she said it. She was, Irene understood, just stating something she was observing.

And she was absolutely right.

Irene finally realized how everyone, she especially, had morphed into overprotective friends as soon as Helena was hurt. And Helena was allowing it, probably because it was coming at her from all sides.

And that was something that was about to change.

* * *

"Hello you," Myka said softly when dark eyelashes fluttered and Helena opened her eyes. Looking up at Myka was Helena's favorite thing to see when she awoke.

"Sometimes I dream about you, just so slumber does not part us," Helena said poetically and Myka leaned down and kissed the lips that spoke those heartfelt words.

"How is your hand?" Myka asked and Helena lied and said it felt much better. Of course, staring up into jade pools of concern would do that to a person.

When Helena said she was hungry, Myka texted Leena and suddenly, they could hear the scrambling of several pairs of feet outside the room.

"They really are making a big fuss," Helena noted and Myka said that everyone was worried. The couple got up and went into the dining room.

Just before opening the door, they heard Pete shout – "ACT NATURAL!" Myka held the door opened and Helena walked in.

"How are you feeling? Pete, Claudia, Eileen and Leena asked all at once.

"Very well, thank you," Helena said, taking her seat at the head of the table. Myka sat down to her right. Pete, who was at her left side, jumped up and opened the folded napkin as Helena stared at him. Then he wobbled back and forth as he tried to decide if he should put it in her lap or tie it around her neck.

"Do sit down, Pete," Helena said, gently taking the napkin from his wavering hand.

"Oh, sure," he said, and sat down immediately.

The group passed the large dishes of food around so that each could take a portion, but when it came to Claudia, she refused to pass it and instead, got up and put some of Helena's plate. The Brit looked at Myka, who gently intertwined her foot with Helena's under the table in an attempt to keep her calm.

"Do you want…?" Claudia was asking as she held a piece of chicken on a fork in front of Helena, ready to give it to her should her mouth open. One look at the expression in Helena's eyes informed the techie – she did not. "No, of course, Myka can feed….I'll go back."

Gloria watched from the other end of the table, noticing the change taking place in Helena. Irene noticed it too, because she was an expert in reading when Helena was losing patience. "I think Helena can manage," Irene said, not wanting to step on anyone's good intentions.

"I read once that using your _other_ hand to do things is actually good for your brain," Eileen announced as she, Claudia and Pete suddenly became left handed. Eileen managed just fine, but Pete proved to be less dexterous. He used his fork to stab a piece of chicken and sent it flying across the table. His attempts to put the utensil in the vegetables proved to be equally as challenging, and most of them now circled his plate.

"If you are attempting to me make me feel more at ease, it is appreciated," Helena said, placing her left hand on his arm to beg him to stop.

"What? No, I like bite size pieces. Everyone does, right?" he said, needed the group's help. Irene rolled her eyes and put her head in the hands as Claudia confirmed that bite size was the right size and proceeded to put three pieces in her mouth. "See hod dey fet?" she said.

"Do you want tea? I'll get tea," Eileen said, trying to distract everyone from staring at her fiancée whose mouth couldn't hold any more chicken.

"I'll make it," Leena volunteered because it was the third time she got hit with Pete's failed attempts at spearing his food.

"It's okay everyone," Myka was trying to say, as she looked down the table at their friends – and then it happened.

The constant talking, the merited, yet feeble attempts to help, and the idea that Helena was helpless, was all too much for the now awake patient. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" came the command from the head of the table – and everyone's heads swung and looked - just as Helena slammed her hand on the table to accentuate her point.

Her injured hand.

The pain felt like fire encasing Helena's hand and she lost her breath momentarily as it registered. Myka jumped up and held onto to Helena as Gloria came down the length of the table to check the bandage. There was no blood, but she knew from Helena's expression, the pain was intense.

Helena felt she had only herself to blame and, therefore, wanted to get past this moment as quickly as possible. "I am okay," she lied again and no one, especially Myka, believed her. "I would very much like to enjoy this delicious….meal," she said, and Myka still had not let go of her.

"Are you okay?" Myka asked and Helena smiled through the pain and said she was.

Having everyone treat her as helpless was getting on her nerves; _being_ helpless snapped her right back into being in control. "Let me show you, Pete," Helena said, forcing herself to get past the pain. She took the fork with her left hand and proceeded to gently pierce the meat. "Try it," she said as Myka took her seat and watched her.

Gloria returned to her seat next to Irene. "Please give her something for that pain," Irene whispered to the nurse as Helena continued to instruct Pete how to be ambidextrous and the table applauded.

The calm that Helena insisted upon returned to the room and everyone finished the meal in peace. Then, Irene once again took charge, instructing everyone to help Leena clean up. Gloria even insisted on helping, and Myka took the opportunity to go to the kitchen and assure the group that their good intentions had none gone unappreciated.

* * *

Meanwhile, Irene joined Helena in the library. "I do not know what you did to them," Helena said, sitting down on the couch, referring to Pete, Claudia and Eileen, "…but I want them fixed by the time I come back to work tomorrow. I could not stand another minute of their care-taking." Helena instructed and then added, "As much as I appreciate it."

"I think they were worried…," Irene offered as an explanation.

Helena stared at her. " _They_? I believe the pronoun you meant to use was the all-inclusive ' _we'_. _You_ , especially, were most out of character today and I found it particularly unnerving," Helena said, sharing her heartfelt feelings.

Irene's eyes spilled the very laugh her lips attempted to contain. If Helena demanded of anyone not to ever alter their behaviors, it was Irene. "I apologize," the intuitive woman said.

"As you should," Helena huffed, regaining her rightful place in the universe. "They follow your lead, for heaven's sake."

"Duly noted," Irene said, accepting her verbal punishment. "Are you sure you want to come….," she was about to ask when the intense glare from the dark eyes told her not to finish that thought. "Of course."

"And please, tell that nurse that I am not the type of person who wishes to be hovered over or annoyed. I'm only letting her stay because it was Myka's idea," Helena said, not happy with the woman's presence.

"I'll be sure to tell her," Irene assured her friend. "Do you need me to do anything else?"

"Fixing all of this…..," Helena said, waving her good hand in the air in the direction of everyone in the other room, "…should keep you busy."

Myka returned from the kitchen and noticed the smile on Irene's face. "I have gotten all my instructions," she said, winking at Myka and telling Helena she hoped she had a restful night. She took a deep breath, trusted that Myka would take care of things and proceeded to get everyone out of the house.

* * *

"My guess is that she is still in pain," Irene said to the nurse as she got ready to leave after the others. "She won't admit it and there's nothing you can do if she does not want help. Please call me if you need anything. And Gloria?" Irene said, as Andrew waited in the car to take her home.

"Yes?" the nurse said from the doorway.

"You were right about Helena tonight. I appreciate that," Irene said sincerely as she left.

* * *

"How do you feel?" Myka asked Helena as they sat alone in the library, the house quiet now.

"I feel relieved that the three ring circus has left town," Helena lamented.

"They care about you," Myka said, knowing that Helena already knew that.

"I instructed Irene to fix them all, herself included, by the time I am back tomorrow," Helena shared.

"That's a tall order," Myka laughed at the thought. She loved how in Helena's mind, _if something was broke, you fixed it_. Even people.

When they got ready for bed, Gloria asked if there was anything that either of them needed, but Helena declined. She thanked her for her help and said they would see the nurse in the morning.

Helena meant at work because she didn't know what an early riser the nurse was.

* * *

Helena managed to fall asleep immediately, but Myka sat up against the pillows most of the night, watching over Helena. She was so afraid she would turn on the hand, that she put pillows on Helena's side and kept watch. When Helena arose at four thirty in the morning, Myka had finally fallen asleep, exhausted. Realizing that Myka had kept watch, Helena gently kissed her, covered her with the blankets and slipped out of the bedroom and went downstairs to do some work. In the dimly lit room of the library, Helena sat with her laptop and attempted to make up for lost time. Her handicap, however, proved challenging as she attempted to answer several important emails. It seemed typing with one hand slowed Helena down. She tried to speak her responses, but without a good cup of tea in her system, she had trouble forming complete sentences.

"Bloody hell," she uttered more than once as she dealt with her new difficulty.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Gloria asked from the doorway – forgetting for a minute who she was dealing with.

Patience was not a strong suit for Helena so early in the morning. _Oh, who are we kidding_? Patience was not a strong suit for Helena _any time of day_ when someone disturbed her.

"I do not wish to be disturbed," Helena said as graciously as she could. It must have worked, she thought, because the woman simply disappeared.

A few minutes later, as Helena's hand throbbed from using it to type, Gloria reappeared and came into the room. "Bollocks," Helena said and was about to dismiss the nurse when the woman put a tray down on the table with two cups of tea.

Helena's eyes went from the cups to the woman and back to the cups. The last thing Helena needed right now was to be polite. She would have just thanked her – for her efforts – and sent her on her way, but the woman made herself at home on the couch near Helena. She took one of the cups for herself and pushed the tray closer to Helena, much the same way one does when enticing an animal with food. "This is a beautiful room," Gloria said as she looked around, not really paying attention to her patient who was not following any orders.

"Yes," Helena said slowly, trying to figure out how to get rid of her. She did what she felt was her only option at that hour of the morning – she sent a text to Irene.

"I have a collection of HG Wells books, myself," the nurse shared as she turned around to look at the tomes.

"Oh God," Helena said and all but threw herself back on the couch thinking the nurse was going to make every effort to….. _connect_.

"Nurse Brown, I do appreciate this …..," the Brit began her soliloquy after quickly thinking – _What would Myka do_? - "…..But I have a great deal of work to do and would appreciate it…"

"Have some tea," the nurse suggested and this time, she put hers down and handed the other cup to Helena.

 _One should not have to be this polite in their own home_ , the Brit thought to herself, but heard the words come out of her mouth. The affable nurse held the cup in front of Helena and waited patiently, ignoring the Brit's comment and deliberate eye roll.

"I am peculiarly particular …," Helena began explaining as she took the cup and having decided that the woman deserved the truth. "….about my tea."

"Oh, I am, too," Gloria said and Helena all but moaned that now she would have to correct the woman on _TWO_ things; One – that her tea was subpar in spite of her best efforts; and Two – she was not British and therefore, she could not possibly be particular about her tea.

The grim duty showed on Helena's face as the nurse began the arduous task of learning all things Helena. "Try it," Gloria said and practically pushed the cup in Helena's hand.

"Does Irene Frederic know you are this unrelenting?" Helena asked because someone was going to pay for this.

"I doubt it," Gloria answered truthfully. "Come on, It's getting cold."

Helena decided she would give in …this once, but shared - "You are annoyingly persistent." Irene would have to set her straight later when she arrived to fire her. She took the tea, took a sip and was about to say – _thanks anyway_ – when her taste buds told her that this was no ordinary tea! Helena swallowed and the disbelief showed on her face.

"Who made this?" she demanded to know, taking another sip to be certain.

Gloria laughed at the question because they were the only two awake at this hour. "I did," the woman answered. "Do you like it?"

"Is….. Miss Sullivan in there?" Helena asked, looking around because it was the closest thing to Eileen's tea the Brit had ever tasted.

Unfamiliar with Helena's addiction to the younger woman's tea skills, Gloria laughed again and said no one was there.

"You? You made this?" Helena asked, unable to contain her surprise.

"Yes, ma'am," Gloria affirmed again, as Helena drained the cup.

"And you could do this …again?" Helena asked suspiciously.

"Yes, I could," the woman asked, unfazed by the line of questioning and still enjoying her cup.

"Where did you learn to make this?" the interrogator asked, stunned by the quality of the brewing.

"Oh, this has been handed down through the years. Not everyone can make a good cup of tea, you know," Gloria shared, proud of her family tradition of the perfectly brewed cup of tea.

"Where are you from?" Helena asked, staring at the woman and meant planetary system.

Gloria's body shook when she laughed at the odd place of that question in the conversation. "Virginia, originally. Why do you ask?" the nurse wondered, but she wasn't doing the questioning.

"C'est impossible! Do it again," Helena instructed and rose from her seat.

"You want another cup…. now?" Gloria laughed and then noticed this was no laughing matter to the woman standing at the door waiting for her, wearing a very serious expression. "Okay," she said and followed Helena into the kitchen, where the Brit sat at the island and watched every move the woman made.

"I don't use teabags," Gloria said, her back turned as she used a tea ball and loose tea leaves. Helena almost swooned at the thought. The water boiled and was poured; the tea steeped as Gloria watched the time carefully on her watch. Then, at the exact moment, Gloria presented the second cup to Helena, who waited only a moment before sipping it. Helena closed her eyes as her palate detected that this was as good as the first one.

"You might want to let it cool just a little," Gloria suggested, afraid Helena would burn herself.

Then Helena realized what she had just stumbled upon. "You must not tell anyone you can do this," she instructed.

"No…one?" Gloria asked, because there was nothing normal about this request.

"Myka, maybe. But no one else. Especially Miss Sullivan! Never tell Miss Sullivan! Do I have your word?" Helena asked in all seriousness.

"Sure…," Gloria agreed because she couldn't imagine being tortured for this secret. Helena got up from her seat with the cup and was walking out. Gloria quickly learned that anything she wanted from Helena might have to be negotiated. "On one condition," Gloria stipulated. Helena stopped and looked at the woman. "You let _someone_ help you with that typing you were trying to do," Gloria said, taking the cup from Helena and carrying it for her.

"I have a great deal of work that must be done," Helena explained, giving the woman the benefit since she did have her tea.

"Mmm, mmm, mmm," Gloria said, telling Helena the deal was off unless she agreed.

"Oh, good. Another obstinate woman in my life. As if I needed one more," Helena ranted, but was paid no mind. She followed the woman into the library and sat back down. "Very well," she said and Gloria was glad to see the woman had come to her senses. The nurse had hoped Helena would wait until she got to work to have one of her assistants do the work, but she was about to learn that Helena never waited.

"Here," she said to the nurse whose idea it was. Helena handed Gloria the laptop and began to dictate what she wanted the nurse to type in response to the opened email. Gloria drew in a deep breath and accepted that she had been outsmarted – _this time_. She diligently typed as Helena verbalized what she wanted. Thirty two emails later, Helena was sitting very satisfied with her tea and her work.

* * *

By seven thirty, Irene Frederic was walking through the front door - having received a text from Helena that instructed her to come and fire the woman. She expected to find Helena on a rant about the guest, but instead she found her boss thanking Gloria for completing the correspondence task. Irene watched Helena's demeanor as she appeared to be … content.

"Oh, good morning, Irene," Helena said, a lilt in her voice.

"Everything…okay?" Irene asked, looking at the women.

"Indeed," Helena affirmed, going upstairs to see Myka.

"Don't forget, we need to change that bandage before you go to work," Gloria said and Helena said she would be down with Myka soon to take care of it.

Irene noticed that Gloria was holding the tray with two _empty_ teacups. "Oh, and Irene?" Helena called from the top step and breaking Irene's concentration.

"Yes, Helena?" Irene asked, trying to piece this puzzling scenario together. After all, she had been summoned there to _remove_ the nurse.

"I changed my mind. You can keep her," Helena said before disappearing behind the bedroom door.

Irene smiled uncomfortably at the woman who now realized why Irene was there so early. "I guess Helena was finally impressed with your impeccable nursing skills," Irene said, thinking that was what caused the change.

"Something like that," Gloria said, looking down at the tea cups, but not saying another word that would betray her promise. "Something like that."

* * *

I borrowed the word ' _morphed_ ' from Aidyl James to describe what was going on with the gang in relation to Helena. Perfect word.


	33. Good Intentions

**Good Intentions**

Helena's injured hand vastly improved once she followed everyone's advice and refrained from using it – especially as her physical exclamation point. Two weeks later, Nurse Brown confirmed her ' _fit for duty'_ and the expression was lost on the Brit who never had taken any time off. The whole ordeal gave Gloria more insight into the couple she was looking out for and she was truly beginning to understand why people were so infatuated with them.

The discussion of tea never came up again as the occasion to make it for Helena never arose.

* * *

Myka was feeling good, but her next prenatal checkup proved to be one more hurdle for Helena to get over. The doctor suggested the precautionary procedure of amniocentesis when Myka was in her 16th week, a diagnosis of any prenatal chromosomal abnormalities. Both Myka and Helena knew about the test and weren't surprised, but when the doctor said it was due in part to Myka's ' _advanced maternal age_ ,' Helena found the term derogatory and went on a rant – until Gloria, who was present, explained that this was simply the medical term used for women past 30 years of age having their first child.

"I have to put …down…the reason," the doctor said apologetically, ever so grateful for the nurse's calm manner in handling her most challenging patient. The doctor also explained that, if they wanted to know, she could confirm the sex of the baby to which Helena scoffed and said – "Don't be ridiculous; it's a girl."

The doctor took it as Helena's blunt manner, but the nurse thought it was very curious of Helena to be so sure.

The test came back negative and the doctor smiled when indeed, the sex of the baby was a girl.

* * *

The couple spent many a quiet evening at home together. Myka was amazed that she could possibly find one more thing endearing about Helena, but catching her wife gazing at her own protruding abdomen and touching it gently was it.

"I have one request, Helena," Myka said one night as she played with a stand of Helena's long locks, Helena's head on her shoulder, her hand resting on Myka's stomach.

"One?" Helena teased because she had been waiting for Myka to develop cravings and none seemed to appear.

"Please give our daughter your accent," Myka begged.

"Well, you know that accents are not genetic and that it has more to do with the reginal local in which they are raised, and since she will be growing up in the urban area where the English spoken is barely….," Helena theorized.

"Please?" Myka said, placing her finger tip on Helena's lip.

"I shall do my very best," Helena said because there was nothing Myka asked that she would refuse.

* * *

Leena was very excited that she had been given the duty of arranging for all of the objects that had been released from the Warehouse to be put on display in the new _HG Wells Museum_. Helena had, of course, been very convincing in her appeal to the Board of Directors for Central Park and they agreed to sell her the property if she kept part of it as a learning center for children. The duties of arranging for the opening night of the museum up were turned over to Eileen. Leena and Eileen worked in tandem, carefully designing the displays for the treasure trove of the HG Wells artifacts. The museum was also going to bring to life the work of Irene's sister, Mary, whose book about the duality of the real HG Wells was still on the _New York Times_ best seller list.

Wells Corp was abuzz with the impending dedication ceremony for the museum and Gloria Brown was privy to much of the information going around. It made her consider donating something she thought she'd never part with. She had wanted to mention it to Helena, but the right moment had not yet presented itself. It would before the opening day.

* * *

Soon enough, Helena did start noticing the small, yet glaring, changes in Myka's moods and concentration. She had anticipated the cravings, and it did seem Myka's love of _Twizzlers_ had increased. Helena never minded watching her wife's mouth as she devoured the long stick of licorice. But now they were everywhere! When Helena suggested they try to substitute a _healthier_ choice, Myka broke down in tears. "I'm going to be a terrible mother," she wailed and was inconsolable for an hour. The very next day, Helena sent a team of scientists into the lab to create a healthier version of the sugary snack. The kale version made Myka throw up. The second try was a little more tolerable with the least amount of sugar they could manage. But they weren't red and Myka insisted she couldn't eat them unless they were, so the team went back to the drawing board until they got it right. Then, when the craving seemed under control, the mood swings started.

Helena soon knew that just because Myka was leaving the house happy, did not mean she wouldn't be upset by the time they got to the car. "Why is there traffic?" the usually tolerant passenger complained loudly. "Every day, traffic, traffic, traffic!" she bemoaned and Helena searched for a solution.

"Helena," the Mayor repeated for the umpteenth time, "…no one likes the congestion in Manhattan, but there is no way I can have traffic diverted at rush hour so your wife can get to work without seeing another vehicle."

It was the first time he had refused Helena _anything_.

Myka was well aware, of course, that her moods were alternating. She had read the books and talked to the doctor. What she was surprised at was the swiftness of the swing from one extreme to the other. She openly wept one evening when Helena brought her flowers because she was so touched. A minute later, she cursed that there was no room temperature water in which to place them. Helena's initial responses were to scurry and fix whatever was bothering Myka, but sometimes she couldn't keep up.

What Helena found most challenging was that there was simply no way to predict when the mood change would come. Myka laughed openly that morning with Helena on the way to work, but later that same day at a meeting, she switched gears and lost it.

And she lost it over Helena.

It happened at the weekly meeting of department heads; Myka was so unlike herself, that all Helena could do was stare. The lawyer interrupted Claudia who was about to start and although Myka apologized, she kept talking. "I know we have IT issues…again…, but this is a legal matter that, left unanswered, will undoubtedly cost the firm more money than all the hardware and software combined," the Chief Counsel said in a hormonal rage.

"Sure, you can…go first," Claudia said, because she was worried about the transformation. " _Dove becoming a Hawk,_ " she texted to Pete.

Myka kept apologizing, but the more she did, the more the words kept leaving her lips. It was as if everything she ever held back was pushing out of her mouth. Irene knew this was unlike Myka and so she tried to assuage the woman by agreeing with almost anything she said by stating – "Good point. Interesting." But Irene's attempts only added fuel to the fire because Myka knew she was protecting Helena - and for the first time ever- it annoyed her.

Myka slammed a stack of papers down in front of her. "These contracts bear your signature, and yet they do not have our departmental seal on them, which tells me that you didn't follow normal procedures and signed these on a whim," Myka said sternly, looking down the table at the CEO.

She had tried to talk to Helena about it earlier that day, but Helena was busy and said she would look at them later. Helena meant –S _o that I can give them my full attention_. Myka heard – _Don't bother me now_. It didn't sound like Helena, but it was Myka's pre-Helena past rearing its ugly head and piercing through her logical brain. While Myka's hormones were wreaking havoc and laying it on thick, Helena's patience were wearing thin. She was working feverously during the day so she could give Myka her full attention at home.

The tone Myka used now shot past people who collectively pulled back in their seats, so there was a clearing between the Chief Counsel and the admonished CEO.

"Holy crap!" Claudia said to herself, except everyone heard it.

Most people stared at Myka, to make sure that tone left her usually cool and composed mouth. Then the group slowly turned to look at Helena, whose gaze when confronted aggressively could turn people into pillars of salt. The knee jerk reaction flashed in Helena's dark eyes and was enough to scare people into pulling their chairs away from the table in unison. But as quickly as it appeared, it melted away. "Thank you, Myka," Helena said and Pete whispered – 'W _ho are you and what did you do to my boss_?' They expected Helena to be calm. They didn't expect her to be gracious, too.

"You were not present that day," Helena said slowly, trying to explain. "So I read over the contracts and sent copies to your legal team to see if there was anything that I missed," she smiled.

Myka knew Helena _never_ missed anything, once she paid attention. She also knew Helena was being tactful and didn't want to call attention to Myka's mistake. That didn't stop Myka's gremlins from pointing out that she had just made a fool of herself.

"I appreciate your diligence in following up," Helena said, trying to smooth things over.

She was giving Myka an out and that should have been the end of it, but Myka was seething and Helena wasn't playing. Instead of relieving the pressure building up inside, now Myka had to stuff it all back in and hold onto it.

Irene watched as Myka searched for what to do next. "If you don't mind, could I update you on the Human Resource projects?" Irene asked Helena politely, trying to draw everyone's attention back. Helena agreed, but truly never heard a word as her focus was at the end of the table where her wife was stewing. Everyone went through their updates quickly and then sat back, waiting for the meeting to adjourn.

"Thank you, everyone," Helena said, and people propelled out of their seats and out of the CEO's office. Only Irene and Myka remained.

"I'm not going to chew her head off," Myka snarled at Irene – who never flinched and stayed seated. As soon as the words left Myka's mouth, she regretted them, but she was fighting mad. And no one was fighting back! Irene looked at Helena and could see in her expression she didn't need her, so she got out of her seat, smiled and left.

* * *

"She's like your watchdog," Myka said, because apparently she hadn't dug herself in deep enough.

Myka being discourteous to Irene made Helena's head throb, but she never believed for a minute that Myka meant any of it. She got up from the table and walked down to where Myka was sitting - or more like twitching in her seat because she was so agitated. Helena sat down in the chair and pulled Myka's chair around to face her. "What…?" Helena was going to ask when she saw Myka's eyes squint at the word. "Did I…?" she tried, but Myka's look didn't soften. "Are you…?" Helena tried and before Myka could turn back, she added, "…upset with me?"

Myka wanted to scream! Of course she wasn't upset with Helena, but she felt upset and she felt as if she wanted to be upset with Helena because that might relieve the stress that was building up inside and choking her. "YES! NO!" she answered in quick succession. " _Wow, you screwed this up_ ," Myka judgmental inner voice said in her ear. She turned to look at Helena who sat there trying to figure out what the right thing to do was ….. and it dawned on her just how perfect her wife looked. She was dressed perfectly, her clasped hands in her lap were perfectly polished, her skin was flawless, and there wasn't one strand of Helena's hair out of place.

AS USUAL.

"God, I hate that you're so perfect!" Myka said as she got up and walked out, leaving the usually confident Brit stunned.

* * *

Irene had made herself comfortable in the waiting area and went unnoticed as Myka stormed out of Helena's office and went on the elevator.

"I am detecting an increase in hormonal levels in Ms. Bering-Wells," Sui said to Irene as she got up from her seat.

"What was your first clue?" Irene said and approached the door. There wasn't a person in that meeting who didn't think that was the cause of Myka's outburst.

"Are you okay?" Irene asked Helena, who hadn't moved from the chair Myka left her in.

"I am…," Helena said slowly, trying to identify what this very odd feeling was. "….At a loss," she said, the concept distasteful in her mouth.

Irene came in and sat next to her friend. "Helena, I'm sure it's just hormones," she assured her.

"I know it is," Helena said. "But what do I do? Myka appeared to want to ….argue….. with me and yet, I know she would not want to do that," Helena said, her face twisted with confusion.

"She's probably just as surprised as you are," Irene suggested.

"Get that nurse," Helena said, because some action had to be taken.

"That nurse? What do you want her to do?" Irene asked.

It took seconds before Helena spoke, the equivalent of hours in mere human time. "Some…thing," she finally said. "This isn't the first time," Helena whispered and got up and told Sui to summon Gloria to her office. Irene joined her at her desk and sat down as the genius came up with her plan. "It's been going on. The other day, she cried when I said I was going for a run. So, I didn't go. Then she yelled because it was raining. She's erratic and impulsive. You have no idea what it's like to be around someone like that!" Helena said – and truly meant it.

"No," Irene said, pursing her lips, "…I would have no idea."

Gloria appeared in the doorway and waited to be invited in. Helena explained what was going on and how it was most unlike Myka to behave like this, so the natural conclusion was that the increase in hormones was causing it. "Things will settle down," Gloria assured her boss and Irene nodded her head because this had been her own experience. Their assurances did nothing to quell the Brit's concern.

"Surely there is something we can do," Helena said, pacing now behind her desk.

"Well, it's been my experience that when this happens to the expectant mother, it appears erratic on the surface, but underneath ….," the nurse said slowly to make sure Helena was getting this, "….it's real issues."

"What did Myka say to you?" Irene asked and Helena explained that she said she was upset because Helena was perfect. Taking what the nurse just shared, Helena came to the foregone conclusion that there was only one thing she could do.

Helena stopped pacing when the solution came to her. "I must appear to be as imperfect as I can around Myka," she concluded decidedly.

"I'm not sure….," Irene said gently, looking at the nurse for back up on this particular conclusion.

"Helena, I think what I meant was that Myka might be expressing real feelings and perhaps if you could _talk_ …," Gloria explained and Irene joined in. "Yes, _talk_ to her, Helena and let her get at what is really bothering her."

"The hormonal changes are allowing some things that Myka may have pushed away to come back up, so support her…," Gloria suggested.

"Yes, good idea," Helena said, having listened to her advisers. "And I'll be imperfect while I do it," came the twist.

"Are you sure….," Irene started to say and meant – _Are you sure you want to do that_ , but Helena interpreted as …. _Are you sure you can do it._

"It will be hard, no doubt, but I can try," Helena said, wondering how to go about this.

"She thinks she's….?" Gloria asked, turning to Irene to see if this was for real.

"As close as anyone can get," Irene said and understood that Helena _thought_ she was on the right track.

"How are you going to do this?" Gloria wondered out loud.

Helena considered it a very valid question; one that deserved an honest answer. Her eyes gazed at the ceiling as she considered her options. Then, her answer appeared in the doorway.

"I will appear more… like _her_ ," she said, as Bridget stopped and stared at the two women turning in their seats to look at her. "Only better," Helena said, because there wasn't anything anyone could do better than Helena, including being themselves.

* * *

 **Are you still with me?** **Trying to move the story lines along. Love that so many of you are excited about the 'Bering-Wells Baby'.  
It's been done so well in other stories - and I promise to keep that in mind.**

 **Cheers.**


	34. I Love You Just the Way You Are

**I Love You Just the Way You Are**

Bridget Cummings walked into Helena's office slowly, looking behind her, hoping the reason for the look on everyone's faces was somewhere there. "Ladies?" she said hesitantly, as she approached, most concerned about the welcoming look in Helena's eyes. "Why do I feel like the fly about to walk into the spider's web?" she asked, expressing her feeling at the moment.

Irene turned back, looking up at Helena who stood there already assessing how to make this work. "Helena, please," Irene implored.

" _This_ is who she picked?" Gloria asked of the perfectly coiffed, well-dressed woman, sashaying towards them.

"Don't let her exterior fool you, Nurse Brown," Helena whispered. "Bridget is the epitome of 'take _me as I am; faults and all'."_

Still feeling like a specimen under the microscope, the investment banker approached closer. "Now I know how people feel when they have that _naked in front of an audience'_ dream," Bridget said and Gloria laughed. "Actually, that's one of my _favorite_ dreams," Bridget decided, now that she thought about it. "We have an appointment, Helena, but if you're not done…," she started, but Helena assured her they were just beginning.

"We should go," Irene tried, but Helena insisted she could use the HR Director's insight into people's behaviors. Irene stood up anyway. "Helena, I want to go on record as saying that the only thing Myka ever wants…. is you …to be you," the woman declared.

"Anyone want to tell me what this is about, or should I just wait…over there?" Bridget asked, pointing to the other side of the room.

"Don't be silly," Helena said and then scoffed at Irene's unwillingness to participate. "Your presence is most needed, Bridget. You see, Myka is…rather…moody of late," she shared slowly and Bridget smiled.

"All those hormones," the banker assessed, her hands making angry fists flying in the air. "Babies do that do you. It starts now, but I'm pretty sure they screw with your hormones for another eighteen or so years after they come out. I can still get on my parents nerves and I'm well past eighteen. I think you learn where all the buttons are to press when you're in the womb," the woman blathered on, providing all the proof that Helena had chosen wisely.

"See what I mean?" Helena asked the two women at her desk. "She'll teach me everything I need to know."

"What?" Bridget asked, thinking the CEO wanted her to share her knowledge of pregnancy which was extremely limited. "What can I teach you about babies?"

And then Bridget learned why she felt like the spider's web was all around her. "Not babies, Bridget. You're going to teach me how to be….." and Irene said Helena's name on last time, hoping she would reconsider this plan. Helena brushed her off. "…. Imperfect."

"Oh, Lordy," Gloria let out because the CEO reminded her of a speeding train whisking right by Irene's attempts to slow her down.

"I'm going to teach you how to …Say what?" Bridget asked, looking around for an answer.

Helena understood that the woman may not understand where this was coming from, so she extended her some patience. "Myka's mood right now is making her less than appreciative of how I do things. In her own words, she'd like me to be….. less perfect. So, I thought who better to teach me than someone who embraces their own limitations such as yourself," she said, thinking that should satisfy everyone.

"Well, _bless your heart_ ," Bridget responded, the very Southern saying escaping her lips. The only other true Southerner in the room, Gloria, immediately got that it was not the kind expression Helena was taking it as.

"No need to thank me," Helena pointed out. "Now, let's get started," the detailed oriented woman stated.

Gloria looked at Irene because surely she was the only one who could stop this. "Helena," Irene tried again, "Won't Myka immediately notice that you're behaving more like…," and then she glanced apologetically at Bridget, "…someone else?"

"Yes!" Gloria agreed, thinking the HR Director's argument was both sound and persuasive. Unfortunately, unless Helena was making the argument, she never thought those adjectives fit.

"Well, I'm not going to be anything like her," Helena said, explaining it …again. "I'm only trying to learn what one does when they embrace their faults."

"I'mma gonna pray for you," Gloria said, getting up, and this time it was Bridget who knew what the colloquialism really meant. She fist bumped the nurse as she left.

Irene threw her hands up in the air. If Helena wouldn't listen, she would hope that Myka would be calm enough to appreciate her wife's good intentions. She followed the nurse out of the office.

* * *

"So, Helena," Bridget said, sitting down in the chair and wondering where this was going to go. "I have it on very good authority that the Central Park Conservatory Board of Directors were willing to accept half of what you offered for the building for your museum," the investment banker noted.

Helena was busy watching the woman's mannerisms, but nothing was standing out as faulty. "They're upset that I paid too much?" Helena asked.

"No! They're very happy. As your personal banker, I am upset," Bridget shared. "I've gone over the minutes of the meeting, I've talked to some of the other Directors, and I am convinced they would have accepted far less than you offered."

"They were taking too long to decide," Helena explained as to why she threw out a number finally ….a very large number.

"Well, it was a very generous offer, Helena, and while it will go to preserving the park we all love, I still would like to suggest that next time you're looking to purchase a piece of Manhattan real estate, you let me come with you," the banker extraordinaire suggested. She was convinced her negotiating skills would have saved Helena enough for two museums.

Bridget's sound business advice and admirable concern were thwarting Helena's attempts to learn from the woman. Although grateful, Helena shared that the woman was not making this easy. Bridget sat back in her chair and put the business papers aside. "So, Myka complained that you're perfect, is that what you're telling me? And you want to give Myka what you think she wants which is to be less perfect. Do I have that so far?"

Helena was every so grateful that someone understood her. "Yes!"

"And you thought, hey, if anyone can teach me how to be less than perfect, it's Bridget?" Bridget asked, saying the words slowly.

"Well, when you put it that way," Helena said, getting how they sounded because Bridget practically spelled it out.

"Helena, can we assume for a minute that I know a little something about Myka?" Bridget said and Helena countered that she rarely assumed anything because most of the time she knew.

"Like you knew how much to offer the Board for the Belvedere Castle?" the banker pointed out. She dismissed the glare from Helena; an action which both annoyed and interested the CEO. "Look, in all the times I have ever seen Myka out of sorts, or not being herself, the only thing she has ever wanted, needed and wished for ….is you," Bridget said plainly. "And not perfect you, not you pretending to be something else, just…..you."

Helena took what the woman said in and slowly considered the idea. "But that is what Irene said," Helena pointed out.

"What can I say? She's a really bright woman," Bridget said, patting both of them on the back for the sense they made.

It was a hard concept for the Brit to get. Two very _different_ women, making the _same_ suggestion, and making it sound like it made _sense_? How could that be?

"But if Myka is annoyed at what she perceives to be my perfection, should I not reduce that variable in order to change the formula and affect the outcome?" the scientist queried.

"What the hell did you just say?" Bridget asked and then offered – "Okay, let's try this - mess up your hair, break a nail. I know! Go crazy and use poor grammar!" Her voice registered the excitement of just the thought of Helena speaking slang. "I would film that," she thought out loud.

"Poor grammar?" Helena asked in full British accent, appalled at the idea.

"I know, shocking, but we imperfects do it all the time," Bridget mocked. "I got it!" Bridget practically yelled, but Helena immediately pointed out – " _You have it_."

"Lose a 'g' at the end of a word. Tell Myka you're _gonna_ go home. Eh? Brilliant, right?" Bridget tried, getting caught up in her assignment.

"I cannot…," Helena said, practically shivering at the thought.

"Oh, for the love of Mike. Give it a shot," she suggested, as she gathered her papers to leave. "So, I'm going to try and renegotiate the terms of this purchase," Bridget offered, but Helena's mind was on Myka and so she waived her off and wished her luck. "I hope I was helpful in your quest to be ….. _less_ perfect," Bridget said, unable to keep the smile off her face.

"Pardon?" Helena asked, because again – she was thinking of Myka. "Oh, immensely, yes."

Bridget laughed and shook her head. ' _I can't wait to hear Myka's version of this fiasco_ ,' she thought to herself. She thanked Helena and left, unable to stop at Myka's office because she had another meeting to run to.

* * *

Within minutes of the banker's departure, Helena was on her way to Myka's office. She had decided which flaws to incorporate. Helena approached Myka's office and stopped. She put her hands in her hair to tussle it. Millie sat at her desk, staring at the woman. "What else?" Helena said out loud and turned to Millie. For as long as the secretary had worked there, she had never seen one hair on her boss' head out of place.

"What…are you …doing?" Millie couldn't help but ask.

Helena grabbed the scissors from the woman's desk and proceeded to cut one of her perfectly manicured fingernails over the wastepaper basket.

"Are you okay?" Millie asked of the strange behavior.

"Yes, thank you," Helena answered and stood there, looking down at herself to see what else she could do. "If you would be so kind as to put a run in my stocking," she asked Millie, thinking that would be the _piece de resistance_ of her efforts.

Millie looked up at the woman who was handing her the scissors. "You want me…to put…a hole…?" she asked cautiously and took them.

"Just a small one, there," Helena instructed as she turned around and provided the back of her leg. Millie slowly reached down and pulled on the nylon material and cut the tiniest section. The material immediately separated and Helena pulled at it to make it appear up and down her leg. "There!" she said, proud of the result. "Would you tell Myka I am here," Helena asked and went back to the office door, pulling her blouse out of her form fitting skirt in the back.

"I'll tell her someone who looks like you is here," Millie said and announced the visitor. She then watched as the CEO disappeared behind the door. Millie immediately messaged the internal group of those _in the know_ to ask what was going on, but no one had any information. If they didn't know, it couldn't be good, Millie decided.

* * *

"Hello….," and Helena heard her usual warm greeting and changed it to …"Hey." Not her usual "Hey, you," that Myka created, but just …. _Hey_.

"Hi, sweetie," Myka said, looking up from her paperwork, happy to see her wife. Much calmer since her outburst, she was glad Helena was there so she could apologize.

And then Myka saw the state her wife was in. Helena stood there, as if trying to show Myka something. "Oh my God, are you okay?" Myka said, jumping up from her seat and quickly approaching Helena. She grabbed her forearms and pulled them out to try and find out where she had been hurt. "Who did this to you?" Myka demanded, ready to pounce on the bastard that touched her wife. "Did you fall?"

"Fall? No," Helena stated, giving Myka a minute to get what imperfection looked like on her wife.

"I will rip them…," Myka said, waiting to find out who did it, but still looking at Helena. "They…touched…your …..hair? she yelled horrified.

Helena was not only on a _different_ page, she was in an _entirely_ _different_ book. "Do you like it?" she asked -proud of her ability to do _messy_.

"Do I? No, I don't like it! Are you okay?" Myka asked, pulling Helena to the couch and making her sit down. When Helena sat, she purposely crossed her long legs so Myka could see the damage to her stocking. "Did someone touch you?" Myka yelled and finally Helena caught on to the anger in Myka's voice.

"What? No, darling, no one touched me. I did this," Helena said again - proud of her imperfections.

Myka pulled back and looked at Helena. She looked as if she had a run in with a revolving door…and lost. "What the hell did you do?"

"I ….," Helena said, shaking her hands back and forth by her head, "And…..," she continued to explain as she pulled at her blouse, "Oh…and look! A tear," she said, showing the length of the run in her stocking.

"You? Did this? Why…?" Myka asked, her face all scrunched up in a quizzical expression.

"To help you, Darling. I mean, Dar…lin'," Helena said, emphatically, smiling that she could in fact, speak poorly. "Although I cannot take all the credit. Bridget suggested some of these things," Helena said, giving credit to the friend.

"Bridget ….told you to put a run in your stocking?" Myka asked, the quizzical expression still on her face.

"Oh no," Helena said, thinking that was the most outstanding example. "I thought of that all by myself. Bridget suggested messing my hair and using poor grammar," she explained. "And look!" Helena said, putting her five fingers straight in the air to show the damage.

"Am I the only sane person left?" Myka asked, shaking her head. "Why would you do …any…of this?"

"Why?" Helena asked, truly surprised she was going to have to explain this. "Well, because in spite of the fact that technically you're quite sane, your erratic moods have manifested themselves in _questionable desires_. So when you complained that I was, in your words…," Helena was careful to point out, "…. _perfect_ , I thought I could become less….. _perfect_ ," Helena explained patiently. "Because …that's…what you wanted."

Now, Myka should have heard how her wife was so willing to help, that she went out of her way to undo what she thought Myka was having trouble with. But - what Myka heard instead was –

"Questionable desires?" she asked slowly.

"Pardon? Oh, not really the point," Helena said, but found herself being pulled up by the hand and swept out through the door. "Where….?" She attempted to ask Myka, who didn't stop until she was outside Irene's office door. She opened it wide and pulled Helena inside.

* * *

"I will call you right back," Irene said to the caller. "Something just came… in." Irene was not surprised that Helena's efforts backfired, but she was very surprised that Myka wasn't appreciating her wife's efforts.

"Here," Myka said handing Helena over, "You want to protect her? Now would be a good time."

Irene stared at something she rarely ever saw – a disheveled Helena. Myka turned on her heels and shut the door and …. _immediately_ …..regretted it. _What had she done_? She knew Helena was doing this for her, that she would do anything for her and how did she repay her kindness? She immediately turned back and opened the door. Helena was still stunned, but Irene's expression said it all – Myka had behaved terribly and she knew it!

"I …am….so …..sorry," Myka said, rushing to Helena and taking her hands to her face. "Please, Helena, please forgive me." Tears rolled freely down her face and touched Helena's hands.

The last few minutes moved so fast for Helena, that she was still trying to wrap her head around what happened. "Myka, of course, there is nothing to forgive," Helena said, and pulled Myka into a warm hug.

"No, there is!" Myka insisted and Helena looked over Myka's shoulder at Irene as if to say – " _Is there_?" and Irene nodded. She knew Myka was aware of her erratic behavior and would want Helena to forgive her, not dismiss it.

And then Helena offered Myka something that was even more special than pretending to be like everyone else.

"Myka," Helena said, pulling Myka onto the couch so she could face her, "I know it was a long time ago, but I went through something very similar when I was having Christina. Circumstances were very different, of course, but I, too, felt as if someone had high jacked my emotions. Truth be told, it was a little more difficult to tell with me," Helena said, a twinkle in her eye because her family always accused her of wild mood swings. "But I think I do know what you're going through and only hoped to relieve some of the things that agitated you …."

Irene watched as Myka lunged at Helena, pulling her in and kissing her passionately. " I am so sorry, Helena. God, I love you, " Irene heard Myka said as she left the room and quietly closed the door behind her.

"And I love you, Myka," Helena said and was once again, pinned back with the delicious sensation of full lips pressing on hers.

"I never, ever want you to change, Helena. I'm feeling …insecure and moody, but please, Helena, bear with me. It will pass," Myka promised, assured by Gloria that it was temporary.

"Oh, Darling, I have never seen you look more beautiful," Helena said sincerely, holding Myka in the most adoring gaze. Myka could feel the warmth of Helena's love radiate inside her.

Helena was the anchor to Myka's changeable mood swings. "Helena, I can't guarantee that this emotional roller coaster ride will disappear soon, but the one thing that will never change is how perfect you are to me," Myka said lovingly. "Please don't ever change."

"I promise," Helena said, grateful she could give up the charade.

Irene sat down on the couch outside her office in the waiting area, feeling very much like she had a first row seat on the Bering-Wells roller coaster. "I hope I make it to this birth," she said to no one in particular.

* * *

When the couple were both assured everything was okay, Myka made Helena stand up. She gently pushed her fingers through Helena's hair and the locks returned to their natural position – perfectly. Then she helped Helena put her blouse back in her skirt and suggest changing her stockings when she got back to her office. "That was really hard," Helena sheepishly admitted of the disheveled look. Myka knew with all her heart that it was indeed for the Brit.

They emerged from the office, holding hands and laughing. Helena stared at Irene sitting on the couch as if she had caught her goofing off. "Well, you'll be happy to know, Irene, that I will not be changing," Helena said, looking at Myka and kissing her once again.

" _That_ is the first thing that you have said all day that makes sense," Irene said, getting up and walking back into her vacated office and closing the door.

"She can be so moody sometimes," Helena noted to Myka as they walked back to her office. Millie watched as the couple kissed lovingly until the elevator arrived to take Helena back upstairs.

" _All okay in Camelot_ ," the secretary messaged the group.

* * *

While calm had returned to the 16th floor, things were starting to unhinge on the floor above them. As Helena emerged from the elevator, Eileen was about to get on.

"That's it!" Eileen yelled when Helena asked if she was okay. "The wedding is off!"


	35. Coming Full Circle

**A/N: I just wanted to acknowledge all my fellow B &W writers who have already written about Helena and Christina. So many of them have done it so beautifully and have written it so well. I want to give them a special shout out – because in writing about it in this chapter (and mine is just a photo) - I realize how emotional it is to write about Helena – as she grieves for Christina. **

**So, bravo ladies (and gents) – and thank you for sharing your wonderful stories with all of us.**

* * *

 **Coming Full Circle**

The young, up and coming executive had just announced to Helena that her impending wedding to her soulmate was off. ' _I should have studied them_ ,' crossed Helena's mind - that was still fixated on how perfectly she had nailed being imperfect.

"Let's talk," Helena said, ushering the distraught woman into her office.

Eileen was grateful to have the opportunity to calm down and talk with someone before she acted any further on her decision. Then she caught sight of Helena's appearance. The blouse had been tucked back in, but it was wrinkled, and then there was the condition of her stockings. As was its nature though, every strand of hair had returned to its rightful position.

"What….?" Eileen asked slowly as Helena walked ahead of her to her desk.

"Pardon?" Helena said, sitting down behind the desk and ready to take action. "Oh, I was….doing imperfect ….for Myka."

The younger woman, who knew how perfect her boss was, just smiled when she thought of how only Helena would go that route. "Is she feeling better?" Eileen asked, because she had been at the meeting where Myka lost it.

"I think so," Helena said, hopeful. "It's being pregnant," she added.

"Well, you have a lot on your mind and plate and I don't want to bother you," Eileen said and started to get up.

"Well, I have no idea if it is a bother because I have no idea what it is," Helena said truthfully. "Care to enlighten me?" she asked.

Just then, Claudia burst through the door, uninvited and unannounced.

"I had no idea that families could be this complicated!" she yelled from the entryway. "Why didn't you ever warn me?" she asked her boss and then noticed her fiancée sitting in front of the desk.

"Do join us, please," Helena said and it wasn't sarcastic, but rather – _get we get on with this_?

"Oh, I didn't know….did you want to talk to her? You were here first," Claudia said as she walked over, and Eileen countered with; "No, if you want to talk to her, I can go. I was just blowing off steam."

"Sit," Helena said, tiring of the couple's polite tete a tete. "Now, if either of these conversations is of the utmost importance...," Helena began and stood up, "…social etiquette suggests I sit on the same side of the desk," she expounded, having listened to Irene.

"No, I mean, it's okay like this," Eileen said and Claudia nodded her head and then asked, "What the frak happened to you?" She had never seen Helena disheveled.

"Oh," Helena said, looking down at the wrinkled blouse, "I was being …"

"Imperfect," Eileen whispered and Claudia stared at her boss. "How…did that go?" she asked curiously.

"It was greatly appreciated, but I am happy to say, I will not be doing a repeat performance, so if you two could get to the point here, I have stockings to replace and nails to be manicured," Helena pointed out.

"My family, though well meaning, is driving me nuts with the wedding," Eileen reported as she was instructed to do.

"Oh my God! That's what I was going to say," Claudia announced.

"Really?" Eileen asked, surprised at the similarity.

"Well, I know all the decision making is making you upset," Claudia said, taking Eileen's hands.

"They just …want everything to be perfect…," Eileen said to Helena. "You know, because I'm their only daughter."

"Yes, singularity seems to convince parents they are entitled to even more control in order to get it right," Helena espoused.

"They mean well," Eileen said, in their defense.

"We all know where that road leads," the Author reminded them.

"Everyone wants to help, or be in the wedding, or tell us where to have the wedding, or the honeymoon, or the color of the dresses, or …," Claudia said in one breath and had to stop in order to breathe.

"They want a huge wedding because of all the relatives…," Eileen said and Claudia gasped – "So many relatives."

Helena listened quietly, taking in the exasperation of the young couple. This wasn't _Helena the counselor_ ; this was _Helena the fixer_ who didn't like to see her friends suffering at the hands of well-intentioned people. She looked at her phone and then said; "Belvedere Castle – three weeks from this weekend. You can honeymoon in Florida."

"You want us to get married at the _HG Wells_ Museum?" Eileen asked and Claudia was already bobbing her head that it was the coolest idea ever!

"The museum opens two weeks later. You can have the ceremony and dinner there. I suggest Myka's island because …," Helena explained and made sure both women were looking at her, " …One can only get there by private boat."

Claudia was the first one to think about that. "You don't…think…anyone would want to come on our honeymoon, do you?"

"No one would do that," Eileen said, defensively, if not convincingly.

"They needn't be there in the flesh to accompany you," Helena said and then came around her desk, pulling a third chair up. "This is one of the most momentous days of your lives. It is about you – and with all due respect to everyone else, only you. Now, I know everyone wants it to be perfect, but their efforts seem to be adding stress. You need to lock yourselves away in the Penthouse, decide what you want and emerge with the answers. Your wishy washy approach of not wanting to offend is wreaking havoc with your mental states," Helena stated bluntly.

There was dead silence; something Helena usually abhorred, but had grown tolerant of. The couple looked at each and both concurred their leader was right.

"I just want you to be happy," both said at the same time.

"Good!" Helena said, slapping her hands down on her knees. "Now go decide what will make each of you happy." With that, the CEO rose from her chair because she thought they were done.

"I'll do whatever you want," Claudia stated and Helena smiled at took her seat again. Apparently, they weren't quite done. "If you want 12 bridesmaids, I'm okay with that."

"Twelve bridesmaids?" Helena shouted in disbelief. She had no idea just how out hand this had gotten.

"She has …(cough) …a lot of cousins," Claudia explained.

"I have been in their weddings," Eileen said sheepishly.

"Bloody hell!" Helena blurted out. "Someone needs to stop that tradition immediately. Besides, that is too much pink."

"We're having a black and white wedding," Eileen announced proudly because it was the only thing they had agreed on so far.

"Well, off you go," Helena said gently and stood up once again.

"What about the castle?" Claudia asked Eileen and stopped Helena from standing upright.

"I love it! If we did it in three weeks, we wouldn't have time to put all those plans in place," Eileen concurred.

"Small wedding party?" Claudia asked and Eileen agreed wholeheartedly. "Florida okay for the honeymoon?" the techie asked and Eileen affirmed she'd go to the ends of the earth with her fiancée.

The couple kissed and Helena was just about to announce that the meeting had to adjourn when Claudia turned to her and announced - "We'll do it!" Helena looked behind her, hoping to see the wedding planner they must be speaking to.

There was, of course, no one else there.

"Good," Helena confirmed and remembered what putting a wedding together was like. She rose from her seat gracefully. "I will take care of all the arrangements."

"Oh my God, really?" the two women jumped from their seats and ran towards her, enveloping her in a hug as she stood tall, patting their arms.

"Yes, leave it to me," Helena assured them.

"Thank you, thank you," the two women repeated and didn't let go.

"Brain…requires…oxygen," Helena finally said because she was sandwiched between them.

The two released the CEO immediately, but re-hugged the woman before she could escape. Then they went, hand in hand, out of her office sure they had made the right decision.

* * *

Helena, exhausted by the engaged couple, wanted nothing more than to finish her work and leave with Myka later that day. She set about to do just that when there was a knock at the door. She told Sui to tell them to come in and Gloria appeared in the doorway.

"I am sorry to disturb you," the nurse said, making her way to the desk.

"Is Myka okay?" Helena asked, out of her seat before the woman could assure her she was.

"I am actually here on a _personal_ visit," Gloria admitted after having given the decision much thought.

"Oh, well, Irene …handles …. _personal_ …things…really," Helena said, having had her fill of personal issues for one day.

"Oh, no I meant – I wanted to give you something," the nurse said, realizing she hadn't been clear. In the weeks that Gloria had gotten to know Helena, she found it strangely endearing how literal the woman could be.

Helena had just returned to her seat behind the desk after the couple had left. Ordinarily, she would remain there for the next visitor. But the nurse said it was _personal -_ and so Helena contemplated if that dictated she move to the other side of the desk.

"Truly _that_ _woman_ is never complete in her directives," she said of Irene out loud, and got up and sat down in front of her desk and pointed to where the nurse should sit.

Gloria read Helena's uncomfortable body language, but couldn't imagine what it was in response to. "I won't take up much time," she said as she sat, and Helena said that remained to be seen.

"Do you believe people's paths cross for a reason?" Gloria started out because she always liked to set up her stories; a habit her sons begged her to relinquish.

"Yes. In my case, it's usually a punishment of some sort," Helena said and then assured the nurse that present company was excluded.

Gloria laughed anyway. "You are somethin' else," the nurse said because she found Helena's candor refreshing. "Well, I do, too. Always have really," she continued. Helena smiled back politely. "I thought about this many times before, but decided I wanted to wait until the moment was right. Well, with your museum opening, I wondered if this wasn't it."

Helena listened attentively, but since the woman added nothing else, she asked; "Is there more to this story?"

The nurse chuckled again. "It's almost as if we were destined to meet somehow," she started to say as she pushed her hand into her pocketbook.

"Ah, a puzzle!" Helena said and added, "I usually only do those with Myka."

"Not really a puzzle. I'm going to give you the answer. You see, my great-great-grandmother knew your great-great- grandmother," Gloria said with certainty because she had read the book written by Mary Verne that contained Helena's carefully fabricated lineage. She slowly pulled out the picture and presented it to Helena.

"Her name was Amelia Brown."

If the nurse had retrieved a gun and shot Helena, the impact would have only been a fraction of what she felt. Helena glanced briefly at the photo of a tall white English woman standing next to an African woman, their visual difference accentuated in the black and white picture. Gloria was expecting Helena to be surprised, or at least a little astonished that she possessed something of Helena's legacy. Truly, what were the chances, she thought. But when she showed the picture to Helena, who didn't immediately take it, she saw something that wasn't surprise. Gloria watched Helena's eyes widen and she pulled back away for a second. It was almost as if she didn't want to touch the picture. Dark eyes looked up and stared at Gloria, who now wondered if this wasn't a mistake. Helena's chest rose and fell as her breathing became shallow. Part of Helena's brain scrambled with how to handle and respond to this blindsiding; another part was drawn explicably back in time to when that photo was taken.

"Where did you …get this?" Helena finally managed to ask and tried willing her body to stop reacting. It was as if she had been torn through a wormhole in time and was trying to get her bearings. She pushed the picture back into Gloria's hand.

"It's been handed down through the years. This woman here, was my great-great grandmother; a trained physician. Taught at her father's side, who had learned from the English when they were in his village. They left their village, went to France, and there she became a midwife. The story has it that the Wells Family was vacationing in France, when the young Helena Wells went into labor."

Helena's body was reacting and the nurse could see it. Helena's jaw tightened, her breathing labored and she couldn't seem to fixate her eyes on any one thing. "Are you okay, Helena?" Gloria asked concerned. She put her hand on Helena's and could feel the slightest trembling. "I'm sorry….," the nurse apologized, although she wasn't quite sure what for.

In the meantime, Gloria wasn't the only one who sensed Helena's distress.

Myka was midsentence on a conference call with the Central Park Directors about the museum when she felt it – a lightning bolt of tension shot through her and she knew immediately something was threatening Helena. She apologized and cut the call short and rushed upstairs. As Gloria was asking Helena if she was okay, Myka was coming through the door and immediately was at Helena's side, gently placing her hand on her wife's cheek. Gloria turned the picture over, just to be safe.

"Hi Gloria," Myka said and the nurse instantly saw the change in Helena. Color returned to her cheeks, her breathing evened out and she finally blinked! Watching these two women was an amazing physiological sight, the nurse thought. It was if they were conjoined somehow – on an emotional level. She had never seen anything like it.

"Gloria has a picture," Helena said, looking up at green eyes that assured her everything was okay.

Still unaware of what the significance was, but trained to notice distress in a person, Gloria apologized again if her action was somehow inappropriate. _Maybe Helena had issues with her ancestors that people were unaware of._

Now, as Myka sat next to Helena, holding one hand and gently rubbing her back in small circles, the Brit was finally calm enough to respond. "No, no need to apologize," she assured the nurse. "I would like to see it." Gloria was struck by the fact that Helena couldn't seem to look at it until Myka was there. She smiled at just how amazing their symbiotic connection was.

"I was telling Ms. Wells," Gloria started and reverted back to her boss' formal name because she wanted to make sure both women knew her gesture was being done with the utmost respect. "…that this is a picture of my great-great grandmother standing next to Helena Wells." Slowly and carefully, Gloria turned the picture over and showed it to both women.

Even now, Gloria was struck by the resemblance between her boss and the woman in the picture. It was as if the Wells family genes dominated down through the generations. Gloria had to look long and hard at her ancestor to find any similarity. "As you can tell," the nurse laughed before sharing the joke, "….I did not get my curves from this side of the family." The self-deprecating humor broke the tension and Myka smiled.

"How did this come to be?" Myka asked softly and Gloria explained what she knew. "The story passed down was that Amelia was working in France as a midwife after leaving her war-torn village. Although trained as a doctor, she concentrated her work in delivering babies as a midwife. It seemed that your relative, Helena, was vacationing there when she went into labor. They summoned Amelia who delivered the baby," Gloria said with great pride.

"That's amazing," Myka said as she held the picture -her face was bathed in a loving smile as she looked at Helena, standing next to the woman in the picture. She looked so happy; both of them did, and the photo looked more like that of two friends.

"Amelia wrote of how gracious Helena Wells was," Gloria continued the story with the kind of voice that beckoned one to listen. "She paid Amelia more than what the charge was because she had come up to the estate special. And then," Gloria said and threw her hands down in her lap, "….she gave her signed copies of the HG Wells books! First editions!"

 _The woman's tale replayed in Helena's mind because she remembered it well. The midwife admired the stack of books that Charles kept on hand in case a female visitor swooned over him. It bothered Helena that he handed them out like party favors. When Amelia expressed her interest, Helena took one of each and gave it to her. Signed._

"Do you have them?" Myka asked, hoping that was the question Helena would ask if she were talking.

"Oh, yes!" Gloria said excitedly. "They have been handed down through generations along with Amelia's journals. They're really treasured in our family. It never mattered who signed them, but after reading that book that Mary Verne, the Harvard Professor, who wrote that book about HG Wells being the siblings' efforts? Well, I thought – I guess they were signed by the real HG Wells!"

"Have you read her journals?" Helena wondered out loud, the words falling slowly from her lips.

"Oh, I read some, but Lordy, there are so many!" Gloria exclaimed, smiling at the tomes. "That woman could write! And it was your great-great grandmother who encouraged her. Says it right there in the very first one," Gloria explained. "Says that if Helena hadn't insisted she write, she probably would never have written about her journey to France and then to America. She even wrote a book about obstetrics that, of course, was never published," the nurse lamented. "Do you know she was a pioneer in the idea that the baby should immediately be with the mother?" Gloria stated with great pride.

 _Helena remembered the woman, directly after Christina was born, placed the baby on Helena's chest. Mrs. Wells yelled that it was unnatural, unsanitary, and Helena was too weak, but the midwife winked at Helena and never paid Mrs. Wells any mind. "The child needs her mother," Amelia Brown said authoritatively and it sealed Helena's affection forever._

"What…became of her, do you know?" Myka asked, as her hand continued to massage Helena's back gently.

"She left France shortly after that picture was taken, settled in Virginia, where she and her husband raised their family," Gloria said smiling. "She continued her work as a midwife and wrote journals and journals about her work."

For the first time, Helena actually looked at the picture. Amelia was almost as tall as Helena, and both women were laughing at a remark Helena had just made about Charles. It was taken days after Christina was born. Helena thought the good doctor's attitude was the only thing that saved her from the flurry of comments and apprehensions expressed by her family. Her parents were quite concerned for her reputation; Charles worried about his livelihood being tainted. Amelia was the only one who reminded Helena that she was more than enough for this child, not matter what anyone said.

 _By the time Helena left France, the idea was born that a distant American cousin three times removed was the father, but that he was killed abroad._

"They…. lost touch," Helena declared more than she asked, even though the nurse took it as an inquiry.

"Well, yes," Gloria answered. "Amelia wrote to her friend once she was settled in America, but the letters were returned," Gloria said and there was sadness in her voice when she thought about that. She had read the journal entries of how upsetting her great-great grandmother found that.

A pang of guilt rose in Helena's chest. It wasn't until her own mother was dying, did Mrs. Wells tell Helena that she had refused any parcel from the woman. Helena had fought long and hard with her mother over her distrust of the midwife. Mrs. Wells said she was protecting Helena and the baby, but Helena suspected it was her mother's distasteful prejudice that got in the way. It wasn't until her deathbed, did Mrs. Wells tell Helena how sorry she was that she had refused the letters.

"Her mother….," Helena started to explain and had to clear her throat to continue, "…was afraid that the doctor, Amelia, might tell someone that the baby's father was not in the picture."

"Oh," Gloria said, surprised. "I never knew that. I mean, she never wrote anything…"

"No, she wouldn't," Helena said, and didn't care that it would confuse the nurse.

"You seem to know a lot about them. Did Helena keep journals, too?" Gloria asked, struck by how two 21st century women would have different pieces of the same story.

Myka looked at Helena carefully, to make sure that Helena didn't feel pressured to explain herself. Myka was ready to stop the conversation any time Helena looked upset. But she appeared to be much calmer now. Myka held onto the picture and Helena touched the image lovingly with her finger. "She was…," she started and cleared her throat, "….. a remarkable woman. Yes, Helena wrote what a great help she was, a source of great comfort."

"Well, isn't this something?" Gloria chuckled and pushed back in her seat. "Two descendants, reading about each other's families from journals. And now our paths have crossed! Mmm, mmm, mmm. Ain't that somethin'," the nurse mused. "You know, she is why I am a nurse. Why my mother and her mother before her. It's in our blood, I guess," the nurse laughed at her own pun. "And to honor her, we were hyphenating our names long before it was in style, you know," Gloria said, explaining how she still bore the female doctor's name.

Even though Helena seemed stiller, Gloria wasn't quite sure what the CEO was thinking. "I sure hope I did the right thing by sharing this all with you," she said, but this time she looked directly at Myka for the answer. "I just thought this picture was a testament to two women who paid no mind to the social divides of the day."

Now that she had Myka's secure touch, Helena could gather her thoughts. "I think it was a wonderful idea," she said and the nurse's face lit up with relief. "I would like to see her journals if you wouldn't mind sharing them."

"Oh, Lord, yes! You can see everything!" Gloria said, happy to see the change of tone in Helena's voice. "Well, I have taken up enough of your time," the nurse said cordially, getting up and preparing to leave. When she got halfway to the door, she turned back to the couple. "Thank you, Helena."

"Pardon?" Helena asked.

"Those returned letters; that was always a mystery with a lot of unkind speculation." Gloria admitted. "I'm glad it wasn't Helena Wells who didn't accept them. That would make Amelia feel better, I bet. Makes me feel a whole lot better."

And then, perhaps because she was caught up in the moment and her emotions were swirling about, Helena spoke from her heart –

"You remind me a great deal of her. She must be very proud."

"Thank you for saying that," Gloria said, her shoulders pressed back, her chest out as she felt pride in what Helena suggested. She imagined Helena had spent long nights reading old journals. She had no way of knowing, Helena had written them. Then, the nurse closed the door softly behind her.

* * *

Myka stood and pulled Helena up into a warm embrace. "Are you okay?" she asked her wife, because she knew the picture had blindsided Helena. She pulled back to study Helena carefully.

"I can't say that didn't shock me, but I am okay," Helena explained. "I'm glad you were here."

"Me, too," Myka said, kissing Helena and then leaning her head on Helena's. "You know, if I get much bigger, I won't be able to face you like this," the expectant woman laughed.

Helena gently put her hand on Myka's protruding stomach. "She's a lucky little girl," the Brit said.

"Come here," Myka said, pulling Helena to the couch and sitting down. Then she pulled Helena until she was lying with her legs stretched out, her head resting against a pillow that Myka placed at her hip. She knew how emotionally exhausting that was for her wife.

"I have work…," Helena tried to protest, but Myka wasn't having any of it.

"Shhh," Myka said gently, placing her finger on Helena's soft lips. "Just rest for a few minutes."

Within minutes, Helena's body succumbed to the escape of sleep and fell limp.

"Oh, Helena," Myka spoke softly, looking once more at the picture. She ran her thumb over the picture. "You have had more than a lifetime of pain and sorrow," she whispered, the word barely audible. Large tears spilled uncontrollably from Myka's eyes, each one hitting her stomach. She put the picture down, tried to wipe the tears away when something happened for the first time.

She felt the baby kick.

* * *

 **Thank you for your continued reading. There are so many wonderful stories out there to choose.  
**

 **If mine is among them, I am very honored.**

 **Cheers.**


	36. A Port in the Storm

**A Port in the Storm**

If someone had taken an emotional meter reading at Wells Corp that day, the needle would waivered so hard back and forth between the extremes, that it probably would have broken. As Myka's tears of sadness turned to joy as she rested one hand on her stomach while the other one cupped Helena's face, - it truly seemed that all that mattered to her was blissfully in her own hands.

On the other end of the emotional spectrum was Irene.

Whether it was because remnants of original _oneness_ with Helena still resided inside her or because she simply knew the woman so well, Irene sensed something was wrong. Running into Gloria exiting the executive's waiting area made her think the cause was physical. Refusing to let Gloria pass to get on the elevator, Irene pressed her for answers.

"What do you mean she's _okay_?" Irene asked, certain the woman was incorrect.

"She's with Myka now," Gloria explained because surely _that_ was proof enough of Helena's state.

Irene stared at the woman whom she understood to be relatively new to the _Bering-Wells_ way of doing things. The nurse watched with great interest as chestnut eyes glared at her, unsettled and worried. The duo now became a trio of emotional exchanges, she thought. "I feel as if you want to ask me something directly," Gloria said, letting Irene know she could let out the inquiry that seemed tied to her tongue.

Irene looked at Helena's door, hoping she would emerge and save her from making a fool of herself by asking - "Did you upset her in any way? – but the words were out before she knew it.

"I might have," Gloria answered truthfully because she saw the obvious change in Helena and then the return to calm, but she wasn't quite sure why.

Irene's concerned look became piercingly sharp. "I think you should explain that to me – and quickly."

Gloria knew Irene was protective of the Brit. She had no idea it could be accompanied by a wrath – because the woman always appeared so calm. Unless, she learned, it had to do with Helena.

"Irene, first let me assure you that Helena is okay. Whatever reaction she had, dissipated when Myka joined us. Perhaps you can shed some light on why she reacted the way she did to an old photograph that I shared with her; one of my great-great grandmother and her ancestor, Helena Wells," Gloria said and her medically trained reflexes caught Irene before she lost her balance.

Irene had no idea who Gloria's relative was, but she understood the implications of the picture.

"Are you okay?" Gloria asked, as Irene steadied herself and thanked her.

"I need to…yes, thank you," Irene said and forced a congenial smile on her face and went to the door and opened it.

She didn't even knock. She couldn't - she had to see if Helena was okay.

"I'm so sorry," she said to Myka, who turned to see who was barging in. Helena still lay asleep in her lap. Myka took one look at Irene's expression and knew she was worried. She waved Irene closer so she could see for herself. Irene approached and looked down at Helena, who slept peacefully now.

"Is she okay?" Irene mouthed the words and Myka nodded her head - yes. She picked the picture up and handed it to Irene. The HR Director knew better than to stand here and look at it, so she walked to the window before viewing it. "Oh my word," she said softly as she gazed at the two women in the photo. Like Myka, she too, was taken at how young Helena looked. It looked like one of those pictures they purposely make to look aged with people dressed up in vintage clothing to make it look like a period piece. Irene smiled at how happy Helena looked. Then it finally dawned on her who else was in the picture and what it really showed. While Helena stood still in time, the midwife's life continued through the generations. "Gloria's?" Irene asked, coming back to sit near Myka.

"Yes!" Myka said, as amazed as Irene was. "She had no idea," she said in the nurse's defense.

"Of course," Irene concurred and looked at Helena. She could imagine how blindsided the woman was by all of this. "Can I do anything?"

Myka smiled and suggested that Irene be around later, in case Helena needed her. Myka understood that Helena's need for Irene's presence sometimes went unspoken by the Brit. Often Irene provided a way for Helena to regain her composure. "Of course," Irene said and put the photo down. She patted Myka's hand, took one more look at Helena and left quietly.

* * *

Irene emerged much the same way a guard dog patrols the fence – bordering on ferocious. "Do not let _anyone_ in and do not let that phone ring," she told Sui sharply. The android practically saluted in response. She then marched to Eileen's office and walked in. "Have her tea waiting," she said, without even stopping to explain why.

It was all hands on deck on the _SS Bering-Wells_ , and _Captain_ Irene Frederic was calling the shots.

Irene knew she couldn't expect anyone who didn't know Helena's backstory to understand what happened, but she didn't need them to. She just needed them to follow orders. Leena was told to make a special meal – something that was Helena's favorite; Pete was told to be ready to take them home as soon as Myka called; Claudia and Eileen were instructed not to mention the wedding again after they confessed they may have overloaded their boss with details.

"We…may..have..(ahem)…agreed to let her …take care of the wedding," the fiancées' admitted, but had to speak the words together as their throats closed under the weight of Irene's glare. She hadn't even asked them; they simply spout out the confession to her.

"It's okay," she said to the couple who had stopped breathing in her presence. "We'll sort that out later." She could imagine that the two went to Helena overwhelmed and she swooped in to save them.

It was a rather accurate interpretation.

"We…are…so …sorry," they said together and Irene assured them they didn't cause anything.

* * *

While Irene was taking charge of, well, everything outside of Helena's office, the Brit was slowly waking up from her deep slumber. Even before opening her eyes, she pressed her cheek into Myka's hand and held it there. "I fell asleep?" Helena asked, amazed at how quickly that happened.

"Yes, I insisted," Myka said, tracing her thumb across the smile that appeared on Helena's face. She enjoyed it whenever Myka – _insisted_.

Slowly the details of what had occurred came back to Helena and she tried to sit up quickly, but Myka pressed down on her shoulder, gently holding her in place. "Where are you going?" she asked softly, not allowing her wife to move.

"Myka?" Helena said, and the event replayed in her dark eyes as Myka watched the feelings surge back.

"It's okay, Helena," Myka assured her and felt Helena's body finally relax.

Helena took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before telling Myka - "Amelia was a wonderful woman, truly. She was so capable and had the bedside manner of an angel. I often thought, given the circumstances, that she was one – sent by a God that didn't cast aspersions on me," the _Time Traveler_ admitted. Myka played with the stands of hair that crossed Helena's forehead as she listened.

"I am grateful she was there for you," Myka said of the woman's kindness.

"It's remarkable, when you think about it," Helena said, feeling safe in Myka's touch. "That I should meet her offspring, at a time when we will have our child."

There was no shortage of amazement on that serendipitous event.

"Are you feeling okay?" green pools of concern asked.

"I am, thanks to you," Helena said, looking up at Myka. "You anchor me in any storm."

"Do I?" Myka asked, caressing the face she loved.

"Gravity... has less pull on me than you do, Darling, " Helena said sweetly.

"Helena?" Myka smiled, when the sensation returned to her stomach. Helena sat up as Myka pulled her hand and placed it where she could feel the baby. "Do you feel that?" Helena pressed down, but couldn't feel it…yet. It would take a couple of more weeks before that happened. It didn't matter – the fact that Myka could feel it was enough for tears to well in Helena's eyes and join Myka's. "Isn't it wonderful?" Myka said, as she held Helena's hand in place.

Helena's gaze turned to look at the expectant mother. "You, Myka Bering-Wells are the very source of wonderful to me."

Helena reached over to seal that declaration with a kiss and then gently placed one where Myka's hand had covered her abdomen.

* * *

When Myka was certain that Helena had recovered from being taken unawares, she kissed her goodbye and said she would check back on her soon. She was texting Irene with one hand before her other hand was even on the doorknob to leave.

In spite of feeling much better, Helena sat down at her desk, trying to gather her thoughts. "Focus on now," she instructed herself in hopes on maintaining that settled feeling that Myka provided.

Myka smiled when she closed the door behind her and heard the distinctive sound of her text being received – only a few feet away. Irene rose from the couch with papers she managed to procure for Helena to sign. None of them urgent, but only she knew that.

"These need her signature," she said to Myka and the lawyer hung her head and smiled at how protective the HR Director was. The usually cool, calm and collected woman practically came unhinged when it came to Helena lately, and no one understood that better than Myka.

"You said to let no one in," a very confused Sui announced as Irene put her hand on the door. She shot him such a severe look that Myka was surprised circuits didn't blow in the poor android. Myka knew she was leaving Helena in good hands.

* * *

"Helena?" Irene said softly from the entryway. "Do you have …..?"

"YES!" Helena said enthusiastically because if anything got her head on straight, it was bantering with Irene. And only Irene could make Myka's absence more tolerable.

"I could use your signature on these," Irene said, pushing the papers across the desk and never moving her eyes off her boss. She seemed to be okay, but Irene wasn't done checking.

Helena accepted the papers, opened her Mont Blanc fountain pen, and started to affix her name on them in swirling script. The usually tranquil HR Director was tapping her index finger nervously on Helena's desk; something she never did.

"What are you doing?" Helena asked, while reading the papers she signed.

"What?" Irene asked, suddenly aware of her fidgeting. "Sorry. That one there," Irene started to say to occupy her mind, but it was too late, "…..is the one…..we talked…..before."

Helena picked her head up and put her pen down slowly…..and stared. "What is going on with you? You're behaving oddly, I mean, even for you."

Irene's mind scrambled to say something. "Does that concern you?

"It annoys me," Helena answered without skipping a beat.

Irene tried to smile away the accusation, but it only made her face make an even odder expression.

"For an HR Director, you don't do well when something is on your mind. Now, out with it," Helena demanded – gently.

Irene stared back, wishing she could handle this more gracefully, but where her feelings about Helena were concerned, poise wasn't always an option. She sat back in her seat as Helena waited as patiently as she knew how. "I know about the picture," Irene said - her tone a mixture of anger that she didn't prevent it and worry.

"Ah, yes," Helena said and looked over at the armrest on the couch where it sat silently. "What are the odds?" she asked, trying to make light of it.

Irene didn't care what the odds were. "Are you okay? Do you want me to speak to her?" In spite of the fact that every fiber of Irene's body told her Gloria's intentions were nothing but pure, she still wanted to do something.

Helena watched the severity of her friend's expression cast over her. "Be careful, Irene, or will have to get _Beware of the HR Director_ signs and put them up," Helena teased, but Irene's expression didn't soften. She was taking this very… personally.

This is why Helena abruptly stood up and rounded the desk to take the seat next to Irene. The HR Director got what her boss was doing immediately and pursed her lips not to let out how endearing the action was.

"I'm assuming this is what you need?" Helena asked nonchalantly because she was in uncharted waters with this _personal-sit-across-from-people_ stuff.

Irene's eyes exploded in a smile before her lips moved. "Yes, thank you," she said, touched at how Helena took in what she said. "I want to make sure you're okay," Irene said truthfully.

"Well, I hate to say that I never saw _that_ coming," Helena admitted and even though there was no way for anyone to predict that, it was still hard for her to confess.

"I'm so sorry, Helena," Irene said and Helena could tell she was somehow feeling responsible.

"Thank you, Irene, but the woman did so with great intent and as soon as Myka got here, I found it easier to wrap my head around the fact that was I was staring back in time all those years," the Time Traveler said.

"What will you do with it?" Irene asked.

Helena smiled and then looked over out the window of her office, as if contemplating her options.  
"I'm going to give Amelia Brown her due," the CEO said smiling.


	37. The Mother of All Nights

**A/N: Thanks to AsgardianBlade for reminding me that while the engaged couple are thrilled to have Helena's help, the mother of the bride, Kathleen, is less trusting of her help. If you remember, when Helena reveals that Eileen is in fact her blood relative, it is Kathleen who sees this news as a threat. **

**Thank you to all who left posts and messages. I do appreciate them and your continued readership.**

* * *

 **The Mother of All Nights**

In the lobby of Wells Corp that evening, Gloria watched from afar as Irene checked to see if Pete was waiting outside as instructed. The tea that she ordered to arrive in Helena's office had been delivered right on schedule, and Leena just confirmed that everything would be ready back at the Townhouse, as Irene requested. As if she had nothing to do with any of it, Irene simply said good night as the executive couple passed her on their way out of the building to go home. Whatever took place after Gloria left Helena today seemed to have calmed the HR Director down greatly.

"You and I should have dinner sometime," the nurse said as she approached Irene in the vestibule. The HR Director's satisfied expression washed away and in its place was considerable doubt that the invitation was a good idea. "I make a _mean_ chicken and dumplings," Gloria said immediately noticing Irene's hesitancy.

"I'm sure you do," Irene said courteously, trying to find a polite way to decline.

"You know, I thought taking this job was supposed to be an opportunity for Helena to get to _know_ me so that she could _trust_ me," Gloria said and her tone was as even and pleasant as could be.

"Well, it's important ….," Irene was attempting to answer when the nurse laid it out bare for her.

"But she won't trust anyone or anything... that _you_ don't," Gloria said accurately. "How about 7:30?"

Irene was impressed with how diplomatically the woman maneuvered that invite. She was, Irene decided, trying to learn how to do the best thing for Helena and Myka. It was the only reason she finally …reluctantly…hesitantly…..agreed.

"Good," Gloria said and texted Irene her address.

Irene didn't like it – not one bit. She was irritated with the woman for upsetting Helena, and even though she knew with her whole heart the woman meant no harm, she was still annoyed. Now the woman was asking Irene to break bread with her. The HR Director went back into the elevator, chastising herself for being so unkind and tried desperately to remind herself that Helena really was okay.

Of course, that's because Irene had no idea who was going to visit Helena that night.

* * *

Pete brought the couple home, where the aroma of Leena's delicious apple pie greeted them at the door. The dinner of grapefruit and avocado salad with seared salmon may have been one of Helena's favorites, but Leena made dessert to satisfy one of Myka's latest cravings.

"Oh my gawd," Myka moaned as soon as she realized what it was. "Is that …her apple pie!"

"She spoils you," Helena teasingly scoffed as the pocketbook dropped and the coat missed the couch…again.

"You know, you don't want to teach our daughter any bad habits," Myka verbally retaliated with her hands on her hips.

"And which bad habits….," Helena said moving directly into Myka's space to wrap her arms around her, "…..were you referring to?"

"Oh, so many to choose from," Myka said and tapped her finger to her chin as if she were really thinking about them. The women laughed as they then walked arm in arm into the dining room where Leena greeted them with fresh fruit and home baked bread.

"Dis iz soo good," Myka said because the bread was hitting the right spot in her newly developed veracious appetite for carbs.

Helena asked Leena if she wanted to join them, but she had a date that night and was going to leave right after dinner.

* * *

Across town, the young engaged couple had done exactly as their mentor instructed them to do. They ordered two different kinds of pizza, made a big pitcher of iced tea, and turned off their phones. Then, they went through the various things they wanted for the wedding and wrote up a list. An hour later, the list was completed – ready to be handed over to their boss the next morning. They were extremely proud of themselves. Firm in their convictions, they decided to Face Time with Eileen's mother, Kathleen, who was just walking in the door in Brooklyn after working overtime at the hospital.

"Hi Mom, Hi Mrs. Sullivan," both women greeted Kathleen when her face appeared on the phone.

"Hi girls," Kathleen said. "How are you both?"

"Mom? We're great!" Eileen started and kept smiling at Claudia. "We just locked ourselves in the Penthouse…"

"Do you need your father to come over?" Kathleen asked, juggling the phone while she tried to pour herself some water and figure out what to make for dinner.

"What? No, not literally, Mom. Listen, Claudia and I made a list of _everything_ we want in the wedding and I think it's going to …you know… _streamline_ …everything," Eileen said, motioning her arm out in front of her to prove her point.

"Streamline wedding is an oxymoron," Kathleen laughed before taking a long sip of water.

"No, we talked to Helena today and everything is going to be stress-free," Eileen said and even Claudia knew that was _not_ a smooth segue into mentioning the woman Kathleen wasn't terrible fond of.

"You talked to…. who?" Kathleen asked, putting the bottle of water down, her thirst suddenly gone.

Claudia could hear it in her tone and was floored that her future wife, in her exuberance, could not catch the change. She shook her head back and forth out of sight of the camera, but because Eileen was convinced this was the best alternative for all involved, she steamrolled ahead.

"Helena?" Eileen said and turned the volume up a little in case that's why her mother hadn't heard her. "Claudia and I talked to her this morning and she had a scathingly brilliant idea," her daughter laughed, imitating Helena's accent as Kathleen took a seat on the stool in the kitchen.

"And what…did ….. _Helena_ …..have to say?" the mother of the bride asked.

Claudia put her head in her hands as Eileen divulged the idea of the wedding at Belvedere Castle in Central Park and how the CEO graciously offered to give them their private island for their honeymoon.

"Wow," Kathleen said slowly, trying to take in all the changes that seemed to have been decided in a short time. "She's …quite the resource." The techie was almost certain that by ' _resource'_ , her future mother-in-law meant _pain in the arse._

Only then did Eileen notice the forced smile on her mother's face and she got worried. "Mom? Are you okay with this? I mean, having it there settles so many questions and everyone can still come, but this way, there's less _time_ to go crazy with all the choices."

Claudia now calculated that Eileen had just inadvertently dropped the _second_ bomb, also without warning.

"How much… time?" Kathleen asked, standing up to brace herself.

"Three….weeks. Mom, I know this sounds crazy, but we know everything we want …which is most of what we talked about," Eileen said and now turned the phone and pulled Claudia back into the frame for confirmation. "Nothing changes, Mom, I promise. It's just now we know where to have it, and when, and that makes it easier. "

The hairs on the back of Kathleen Sullivan's neck were standing up and she questioned why – since she was absolutely committed to doing the wedding the way her daughter and fiancée wanted it. She told them that from the very start. She had no idea she'd have to prove it.

"Can your Uncle Pat still do the ceremony there?" Kathleen asked, renewing the anger in her chest she felt over being denied the opportunity for Eileen to be married in the neighborhood church where she received all the sacraments.

 _When the monsignor told her that her that he was very sorry, but there was no way he could allow a gay wedding to be performed at the church…. Kathleen Sullivan made him sorrier than he ever thought he could be. John tried to calm her down as she stood and leaned over the priest's desk and told him exactly what she thought of his refusal, but she was a mother scorned and even her husband knew, there was nothing he could do. It was a blow to both parents who had looked to their religion for solace over the years. "I lit candles there every day, praying for God to give us a baby," Kathleen said on the way home. "We can find God in other places," John Sullivan consoled his wife. There was nothing more important to him than the three women in his life._ " _She has to be married by a priest, even if it's done civilly," Kathleen said to her husband and this was the line that could not be crossed in her mind. Father Pat had married everyone in the family._

"Oh yes, of course, Mom," Eileen assured her and started to tap into her mother's tone of concern. "Mom, nothing changes, okay?" she said and Claudia thought to herself – " _Oh thank God, she caught on,_ " because she understood what it felt like to have things change on you suddenly. "It just means we move everything up. Uncle Pat will do the service. I already checked with him about the date. And the dresses are ready and …Mom?" she said, waiting for her mother to look straight at her and when she did, "…. I just don't want the day to be crazy. Everyone wanting to be in the bridal party and sending us brochures about honeymoons…," Eileen explained.

Kathleen sat back down on the stool and took a deep breath. "I know, honey; your cousins are just so excited, but I guess 23 is a bit much for a wedding party," the nurse said and laughed at the thought. In that laugh, came the relief Eileen needed confirming that her mother understood.

"So, you and Daddy okay if we change the date and move it closer?" Eileen asked and Claudia rejoined her on the couch. "It's still convenient for everyone to get to."

"Of course," Kathleen said and gave serious thought to maybe this was the best way. "If this is what you _two_ want," - and she meant her daughter and Claudia – not her daughter and Helena.

"We do mom, really," Eileen said smiling.

"Okay, then as soon as your dad gets home, I'll tell him and we'll let everyone know," Kathleen said.

"Thanks Mom, you're the best," Eileen gushed and Claudia agreed.

When they disconnected the call, Claudia admitted that she had been worried. "I don't think your Mom is crazy about Helena," she shared and Eileen wanted to dismiss that thought. "She just doesn't know her," Eileen said because she knew Helena presented no threat to her connection with her mother.

Unfortunately, Kathleen Sullivan didn't know that.

And after she hung up the phone, the tiniest voice inside the mother-of-the-bride started to entertain the thought that Helena Wells was moving in on her territory…. _again_. She tried to push it away by grabbing the pint of Haagen Dazs _Dulce de Leche_ ice cream from the freezer and eating spoonful after spoonful. "Sure," she started to talk out loud since she was home alone, "She sits in her ivory tower and has my daughter at her beckon call all day, every day and she _still_ needs to take over the wedding? Probably was afraid Eileen was spending too much time on her own life and not enough on her business! _I have a better way to do…..everything_!" the nurse mocked Helena. "Sends her to school, gives her an apartment, promises her the world - _if_ she does everything she says," she ranted between mouthfuls. "And everyone's afraid of the great and powerful Oz," she decided, slamming the container down.

And then the idea came to her in a flash of pain that hurt more than the brain freeze she experienced.

"She thinks she can do this because they're related?" Kathleen shouted as if someone had just suggested it. "Hell will freeze over before I let her play that card on my daughter!"

She slammed down the spoon, grabbed her pocketbook and headed to her car. It would take her forty-five minutes to prepare what she was going to say to the woman who threatened her on so many levels. Not one of those minutes would be spent listening to the voice that cautioned her she was wrong and this was a big mistake.

* * *

Helena was also sharing the news about the upcoming nuptials that night. Of course, she had a slightly different take on the event. "They were carrying on so, Darling, that I simply offered to have everything taken care of," she explained to her wife.

"And…how?" Myka asked as she and Helena sat in the living room.

"Oh, I instructed them to go home tonight, make a list of things they want, come back to me tomorrow with said list, and I will assign it to the appropriate experts and voila! - a wedding will be in place," the Brit explained because in her mind, it was that simple.

"And they agreed?" Myka wondered, taking another bite of the homemade dessert.

"Why wouldn't they?" Helena questioned.

"I mean her parents? They're okay with it being so soon?" Myka, the methodical thinker, wondered out loud.

Helena stared at her quizzically. "Oh! I don't really know. I guess they'll sort that out soon enough," she added, taking a sip of tea.

"Is it good?" Myka asked when she noticed Helena winced the tiniest bit.

 _The only reason Helena was drinking the liquid that Leena had prepared was because the House Director was totally honest about what it was. "I know this isn't tea the way you like it," Leena said to Helena, "But it's the best I could do and it's all that you are going to get." There was a layer of apology in that update with a coating of 'take it or leave it'. Mostly, it was 'take it or leave it'. Myka bit her lip and waited to see what Helena would do. The Brit thanked Leena, since she truly believed this was the best the woman was capable of, and braced herself for the taste. Helena's reward for being gracious lie not in the cup, but rather in Myka's affectionate teasing when she told her how brave she was._

"I could drink turpentine under your wonderful gaze," Helena said, taking a sip. "And this is a very close second." The remark shared between the two earned Helena the slightest tap on the wrist from her wife as she laughed. "Don't insult the woman who makes the best apple pie I have ever tasted in my life," Myka begged.

The couple sat on the couch, finishing up their work and leaning into one another.

* * *

Irene arrived punctually at seven- thirty; a pound cake in one hand and a bottle of sparkling water in the other. She had contemplated bringing a nice bottle of wine, but she wasn't exactly sure what she was walking into. Gloria greeted her at the door, accepted the gifts, and thanked her. She watched as Irene walked into her living room on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and looked around. After asking Irene to sit, she brought in a tray of cheese and crackers and two glasses of white wine. She knew how to prepare for company. Irene thanked her, took the tiniest sip and put it down. "You have a lovely place here, Gloria," she said as she gazed at the floor to ceiling bookcases that contained the family's heirlooms behind glass doors.

"Oh, thank you. Easier to take care of now that it's just me," the nurse said, picking up a double frame with two pictures in it and showing her guest. "Michael is a junior at Syracuse and that's my younger one, Nicholas on the right. He's a freshman at Virginia Tech."

Irene smiled as she looked at them. "They're handsome young men. Both in college?" She handed the frame back to Gloria whose face lit up as soon as she looked at her sons.

"Yes, they're good boys; bright and got minds of their own," Gloria laughed and put it back on the table.

"Oh, I know what that's like," Irene laughed and it caught Gloria by surprised that she didn't know Irene had children, in spite of her motherly instincts.

"I didn't realize you had children…..of your own, I mean," Gloria said and hoped Irene didn't catch that faux pas.

Irene rarely missed anything and her smile told Gloria that she hadn't missed that. The hostess brought the subject back to boys, and the two mothers slowly eased into their dinner together talking about what they did have in common – sons. The two sat down to one of the best home cooked meals Irene could remember having and the conversation segued to how they didn't cook as much as they used to.

"I cook more when the boys come home, of course," Gloria said as they cleared the dishes after the meal was done, and Irene insisted on helping. "Do you live alone?" she asked Irene who seemed to be a little more forthcoming.

Now things were going to get slightly complicated.

"I …. have a dog; Myka's dog actually and an occasional house guest," is what she came up with to explain Bandit and Sui.

"You have... Myka's dog?" Gloria asked, as she prepared two cups of tea and sliced four sections of the pound cake Irene brought.

"Helena got it for Myka, but there was a lot going on and it was all too much for Helena, so I took him. It was supposed to be for a short time, but he seems very happy where he is," Irene said, sipping her tea. Gloria smiled thinking how that sounded like another rescue story.

"Oh, this is delicious!" Gloria said because she enjoyed her desserts. "You made this?"

"Thank you," Irene said and shared that the recipe was in her family for years.

"Speaking of things handed down," Gloria said, pushing the last forkful of cake into her mouth and getting up. She walked to the bookcase, opened a drawer and took out two leather bound books, about six by eight inches in size. "These might be of interest to Helena."

Irene put her tea down and took them slowly. She felt as if Gloria had read her mind about wanting to review anything that she had before giving it directly to Helena. "Thank….you," Irene said, putting the journals in her pocketbook.

"You know something I notice?" Gloria asked and chestnut eyes simply stared back, waiting for her to continue. "I've been a nurse for twenty-five years and I've seen couples in the best and worst of situations. I ain't never seen anything like the connection Helena and Myka have. I mean, it's more than just the love they share. It's like they can sense what the other is feeling, do you know what I mean?" the nurse asked, sitting back down across from her guest.

"Yes, I do," Irene said, and the topic put her back into protective mode instantly. "They're very…. _close_."

"My boys are _close_ ," Gloria said and her southern inflection seeped through her words. "My husband and I were very _close_ , but I don't think I would have known if he was frustrated or upset at work."

Irene facial expression tightened and she sat straight up in the chair.

"I've only seen it one other time to a lesser degree," Gloria continued because she always spoke truthfully. "And that is with you and Helena."

The woman wasn't accusatory, she wasn't rude, and she wasn't overly inquisitive. She was simply stating what she observed. And she was right. But Irene was rarely hooked by someone else's inquiries, especially when it came to Helena. "Yes," she answered and smiled, but the nurse knew she didn't mean it. "What made you decide to give me …these?" Irene turned the questioning back to the nurse as she patted her purse.

"You know, in spite of what I think we all know were my good intentions today by sharing that photograph, I decided that it might be better if you look over the journals. I trust your judgement," Gloria said, taking just one more slice of the delicious cake.

Irene was used to people trying to get information out of her, or buttering her up so that they could get closer to Helena. But this was neither. It was as if Gloria had read Irene's unwritten rule book about how to be with the Brit, and she wasn't quite sure how to respond. "She's…..," she said and the next word didn't follow immediately. Gloria looked up and stopped eating while she waited for her guest to finish her thought. "Very special."

"I sense the feeling is quite mutual," Gloria said and once again, complimented Irene on her baking skills.

Irene finished her tea and decided that it was time for her to leave. She wasn't sorry she had come, but she wasn't exactly sure she was happy either. Her host had a charming way of disarming her – and it made her feel she was off her game.

"There's a lot more," Gloria said as she got up to see Irene out.

"I'm sorry?" Irene asked after thanking her hostess for a lovely dinner.

"There's a lot more for Helena to see, if she wants to. I think you'll help her make the best decision," Gloria said because she understood just who she was speaking to. This wasn't just Helena's protector. This woman was much more to Helena and Gloria sensed it. Irene thanked her again, without acknowledging her statement and left.

After putting the teacups in the sink, Gloria went back into the living room, took out one of her own journals and wrote; " _For a woman who is so formidable and strong, a lot of people sure want to protect Helena Wells."_

Just as Irene was making her way out of Manhattan, the angry mother from Brooklyn was making her way into the City.

* * *

Myka was having trouble staying awake and Helena suggested that she go upstairs and lie down. She then walked Myka up and instead of turning toward their bedroom, they went down the hallway in the opposite direction.

"How much longer, did they say?" Myka asked as she yawned again and went into the guest bedroom and proceeded to wash her face and get changed.

"I think Leena said a few more days," Helena said as she sat on the bathtub rim in the guest bathroom. "Then we have to decide on the color and the crib. I am having some things drawn up."

The bedroom closest to their suite at the other end of the house was being converted into the nursery.

"You're not going to have little science stations around the room, are you?" Myka laughed as she brushed her teeth.

"No! Don't be…. …no?" Helena asked because that was exactly what she was thinking.

"Not until she's at least a kindergartner," Myka laughed because she knew Helena would want to make the baby's room look like something out of _Scientific Inventions_.

Helena reluctantly promised and then tucked Myka into bed. "You okay?" she asked Helena before releasing her hand. "I mean, after today?"

"Ah, well yes, that was quite a surprise, wasn't it?" Helena admitted. "I am curious about what other treasures the woman has. I would like to repay Amelia's kindness by perhaps putting some of her things on display in the museum."

"That's a wonderful idea, Helena," Myka said through sleepy eyes. "How will you explain her connection?" Myka may have been sleepy, but her logical brain was rarely off line.

"Perhaps it is time to tell _Helena's_ story," the Time Traveler spoke. "We'll talk in the morning," she said as she placed the tenderest kiss on Myka's lips.

"Okay," Myka said, smiling and falling asleep.

Helena watched her for a moment more and then descended the stairs to finish her work. She was surprised to hear the urgent knock on the door as she entered the downstairs hallway.

"Now, who the devil…?" Helena uttered as she opened the door to see a woman dressed in her nurse's uniform swing around to face her.

Of all the opening lines Kathleen Sullivan rehearsed on the highway into Manhattan, the one that fell off her lips wasn't among them.

"I don't know who the hell you think you are," she spat when Helena appeared in the doorway.


	38. What Lies Beneath

**What Lies Beneath**

It may have been the quarter tank of gas in the Prius that got Kathleen Sullivan across the bridge and into Manhattan that night, but it was the threatening feeling inside her that fueled her visit.

"Mrs. Sullivan?" Helena questioned - because from what little she knew of the woman, she was sane. The person staring back at her right now was bordering on possessed.

"Oh, of course you wouldn't recognize me! Why should you?" Kathleen said, trying to keep her nerves behind the wall of anger.

Helena glanced at the people across the street that were beginning to stare at the visitor. "Do come in, won't you?" Helena smiled as she tried to figure out which move to use to subdue the woman.

Kathleen had heard a great deal about this townhouse from her daughter and fiancée; about how beautiful it was. Stepping onto the black and white parquet floor, she was struck with how large it was inside.

"Is Eileen alright?" Helena asked, doubtful that the mother's greeting would have been that if she weren't.

"She's fine," Kathleen said and then remembered why she thought that. "Why shouldn't she be? Once again, you rode in on your white horse and gave her everything!"

Helena knew two things now – one, the woman in her hallway was very upset, and two, if Myka heard her, she would be troubled. "Please, let's sit down in here," Helena suggested and opened the door to the library. Helena believed she found an exception to Irene's rule about sitting near one another on personal matters, and she waited for Kathleen to choose a seat on the couch before taking hers in the chair at the other end. "Now, what is it that I can help you with?" Helena said, more out of curiosity than interest.

"Eileen called me before and told me how you have taken over the wedding," Kathleen said, sitting up very straight on the edge of the cushion. It took her only a few seconds to notice how much more beautiful Helena was even in person. She was impeccably dressed and wore high heels even at this late hour. Kathleen, still in her nursing uniform of white pants and multicolored smock and clog shoes, pushed her hair back in place in response to the inequity she felt.

"Pardon? Taken over? I think you've been misinformed," Helena said, still trying to figure this out.

"I don't think so," Kathleen shot back and her expression was starting to irk Helena. "You told them to have it at some castle in Central Park and in THREE WEEKS? How convenient, moving the wedding up so soon for everyone." Her words were dripping in sarcasm that made Helena arch her eyebrow.

"Mrs. Sullivan, I think there's been a misunderstanding. Your daughter and her fiancée approached me," the host said, hoping to explain.

"You think I don't know what this is?" the uninvited guest rebutted, leaning over a little closer, the smell of Helena's perfume invading her space. She hadn't been this close to Helena since the infamous dinner in Brooklyn when Helena broke the news of Eileen's true bloodline. _Now, sitting so close, the nurse scanned the face for one wrinkle. The woman looked like she was put together perfectly. And, there wasn't a hair out of place. No wonder her daughter idolized her!_

It had been a long day for Helena and all she really wanted was to feel the warmth of Myka's body next to hers, and this woman was keeping her from that. Still, it was Eileen's mother and she drew in a deep breath to extend her that courtesy. However, the nurse was testing her patience. Helena glanced at her phone momentarily as she considered that this was a job for Irene.

"Do enlighten me?" Helena said, mustering up all the patience she had.

"Ever since you supposedly had proof that my daughter was your relative, you've been taking her away, little by little. First, it was the ridiculous hours at work; then the impossible job of knowing when you needed the perfect cup of tea! Then, it was dangling her future at your company in front of her," the incensed mother rattled off. She got up from her seat as she continued the list. "The apartment - so she would move into Manhattan? Then, you made her go to graduate school."

"I have never made your daughter do anything!" Helena said, mentally wishing for Irene to show up and take this woman off her hands - before she put her hands on the woman.

"No, you wouldn't think so, right?" Kathleen said, standing still momentarily. "But you know she worships the ground you walk on. All you have to do is _hint_ at what you want, and she feels compelled. Tell me, Ms. Wells," the mother said, looking directly at her host. "Would you do all of this if Eileen weren't your relative?"

Helena wracked her brain to come up for an explanation of what would cause this woman's erratic behavior. Her reply was, therefore, not really an answer to the nurse's question. "You know, Mrs. Sullivan, I know a great deal about what causes people to act irrationally, illogically, and impetuous, and yet, I simply cannot place my finger on what your reason might be."

To Helena, Kathleen should have been pleased that she was admitting that the woman's behavior had her stumped. That's not how the uninvited visitor saw it.

"This is hard for you to grasp? Maybe that's because you've never had someone try to take your child away," Kathleen divulged in a sharp tone.

Helena sprang from her chair, anger rising in her chest and leaving the distinct taste of bile in her throat. Her head tremored as her dark eyes fixed on the woman as she prepared her verbal thrashing. _How dare this woman come into her home and speak down to her!_ She leaned in closer, her hands on her hips – set on setting this woman straight. She closed the space between them and looked at Kathleen directly. The woman's accusation was unfounded and ridiculous! But in that instant, Helena was startled to see something in Kathleen's eyes that she recognized; a look that somehow seemed so familiar to her. Peeling back the layers of this misplaced attack, Helena found the explanation. This wasn't a woman worried about Helena's influence on her child; this was a mother afraid of losing her daughter.

Helena retreated, not to avoid Kathleen, but to collect herself. She was very much aware that had her anger continued a minute longer – Kathleen would face something far worse than her own wrath. Kathleen would have to answer to a very pregnant Myka.

It was too late. The pregnant woman's heightened sensitivity was especially wired to Helena's moods.

"Mrs. Sullivan, I would love to impress you with my analytical skills and help you pinpoint the exact cause of this delusion you're experiencing, at which point I could then prove you wrong, but I fear you don't have the time," Helena said cryptically and confused the nurse.

"What does that even mean?" she asked wondering how her daughter managed to work with this woman. "All I know, Ms. Wells, is that from the very start you've done everything in your power to get my daughter to do things your way. Well, not this! Not the most important day of her life!" Kathleen asserted, feeling like she accomplished what she came to do.

Then they both heard the noise, but only Helena was confused by it. It wasn't just the door upstairs that she heard. She also heard a loud rumbling in the basement.

"Hold that thought," the Brit said, fearing one or both noises meant Myka was awake. She ran to the library door and cracked it open, and then closed it ever so slowly. She turned to her uninvited guest and said – "Too late. My dear Mrs. Sullivan, would you excuse me just a moment?" Kathleen wanted to do nothing of the sort, but Helena slipped through the door before she could protest.

* * *

"Helena?" Myka said in a sleepy voice from the middle of the staircase. "Are you okay?"

Helena prayed the crazy guest wouldn't pull the library door open as she held onto the doorknob. "Yes, darling, I'm fine. Go back to sleep. I'll be up shortly."

"Why aren't you working in the living room?" Myka asked, because that is where they were before.

"Why? I…needed something from the library, so… I went in there," Helena lied pitifully.

"Who is in there?" Myka asked, sensing Helena's nervousness, and coming down the stairs to stand by her wife.

"Funny, you should ask," Helena stalled. "It's Mrs. Sullivan, Eileen's mother? She stopped in.."

"She's upset about the wedding?" Myka asked, her deductive skills running on all cylinders. _Hadn't she asked Helena before if everyone was okay with her running the event?_

"She's …..obviously…..worried….," Helena scoffed and caught the look in Myka's eyes. "Darling, there's nothing for you to be concerned about. She'll be fine."

"Good, then let's go back in," Myka said, and unconsciously pushed up the sleeves on her flannel pajama top.

"I can…you needn't …," Helena said, but when Myka gave her a scowl, Helena dutifully opened the door.

* * *

Kathleen was trying desperately not to listen to the sounds of reason being whispered in her ear by her own inner voice. She was hurt, she was frightened, and she wasn't going to sit back while Helena took over another part of her daughter's life. So she answered those voices with a - Hell no!

While the trio was about to converge in the library, John Sullivan was driving his daughter and Claudia to the Townhouse. "Try her again," Claudia pleaded with her fiancée, but there was no use.

* * *

"She's not answering," Eileen said.

"Cause she's hurt! She can't answer because she's hurt!" the techie wailed, her head in her hands now worried that her boss had scorched the woman with her eyes.

"Now, now," John said, trying to be the voice of reason. "Her message said she was going there for a chat. Now, maybe, just maybe, your mother really meant a chat."

"Dad, Mom does not _chat_. She talks, she confers, she negotiates. Remember when she told us she was going to Mr. Stevens …..for a _chat_?" Eileen asked in horror.

"What? Who is Mr. Stevens?" Claudia asked, raising her head. She knew this wasn't good by the way her fiancée used air quotes when she uttered the four letter word – _chat_.

"My high school biology teacher who gave my paper on evolution a 'D'. Remember, Dad?" Eileen asked and there was no way her father could ever forget that. "I showed her the paper. She said – very calmly – that the man was an idiot and not to worry - she would have _a chat_ with him. Next thing we know, the principal called us up asking to please come get my mother, whose definition of _chat_ included standing in front of the teacher's car as he tried to get away!"

"She …was a little …upset," John said in the rearview mirror to Claudia.

"Wow, she sounds a lot like Helena," Claudia assessed. "This is so not good!"

* * *

Kathleen turned when Myka walked in the room and stood up again to greet her. "Myka, I'm sorry if my late night visit disturbed you. How are you feeling?"

Helena felt like Myka's presence was the water that doused Kathleen's fire. "I'm well, thank you, Kathleen," Myka said and Helena wondered how everyone was on a first name basis all of a sudden. "What is this about?" the lawyer asked and Helena wasn't sure who should answer that.

Kathleen felt she should explain. "Myka, I'm sorry to impose on you like this, but I needed to get some things off my chest with Ms. Wells. I really felt it was important."

Myka flopped down on the couch and Kathleen sat back down. Helena sat in the chair next to her wife. "Like what?" Myka asked and both women got the impression they weren't going anywhere until they answered.

"With all due respect, Myka, she takes over everything. Between the job, school, and the apartment, we barely see Eileen anymore. But the wedding. The wedding was the reason for us to see her and Claudia every weekend," Kathleen said.

"You know that your daughter and Claudia came to Helena," Myka pointed out.

"So she says," Kathleen answered and Helena let out a "Ha!"

"Kathleen, I know that in spite of you all looking forward to this auspicious occasion, it's a huge undertaking. The girls were overwhelmed with all the demands of trying to accommodate everyone. In frustration, they came to my wife, who as you know, can solve _any_ problem. Even those that have nothing to do with her," Myka said, presenting her case clearly.

"They could have come to me," Kathleen said, the hurt in her voice palpable.

" _I wish they had_ ," Helena said out of the side of her mouth, but Myka was already responding. "I'm sure they feel you have more than enough on your plate, too. You and John are taking care of all the details?" Myka asked because there was no one on Claudia's side to share the burden.

"We want to! It's our pleasure to do it for both of them," Kathleen answered sincerely.

Helena looked over at Myka and couldn't help the stirring she felt inside that erupted whenever Myka was assertive. "Well, I guess that's that…," she tried, but no one was listening.

"Maybe they just thought that this was a way for no one to get their feelings hurt," Myka proposed and Kathleen thought about how the phone never stopped ringing with relatives requesting one thing or another.

"Perhaps," was the only concession Kathleen could make because of course, that wasn't really the issue.

And Helena knew it.

"Good, well I hope that settles things," Myka said, maintaining her definite tone and looking directly at the guest. Helena could sense that Myka was only a few sentences away from saying – " _Okay, look lady…."_

"Darling," Helena said when Myka stood up to let everyone know the visit was over. "Would you mind making us some tea?"

Myka looked at Helena to make sure she was as calm as she sounded. Then she looked back at Kathleen, a warning look in her green eyes. "You want tea?" she asked Helena to be sure.

"If you wouldn't mind," Helena said and asked Kathleen if she wanted some.

"No, thank you," the visitor said.

Myka got up and kissed Helena – the kind of kiss you use when you're letting the other person in the room know you would cause bodily harm to anyone who upset your lover. The kind that is long enough to cause the third party to look up at the ceiling because they feel like they're intruding. The kind that leaves your wife breathless and makes it hard for her to collect her thoughts.

 _That_ kind of kiss.

"I'll be right back with your tea," Myka said and left the room.

Myka didn't really believe that Helena wanted tea, but she trusted that there was a good reason she wanted her to leave the room. She lingered outside the door just to be sure.

* * *

"I'll talk to her," John said as he pulled up outside the Townhouse, but his daughter and fiancée were already out of the car and up the steps. "Oh, Jesus and all the saints! Here we go!"

* * *

"I should go," Kathleen said, feeling guilty that she involved Myka.

"We're not done here," Helena said and there was no mistaking the change in her tone. "Sit down."

When Myka came into the room minutes before, Kathleen was starting to feel foolish. Now that she was alone again with Helena, and hearing the spitfire in her tone – Kathleen was ready all over again. She sat down – and leaned forward letting Helena know she was not intimidated.

"I think you're rather missing the point of your visit, Mrs. Sullivan," Helena said, having had time to think it all through when Myka was talking.

"I made my point. I don't want you running Eileen's life," Kathleen retorted.

"From the moment I shared that Eileen was a Wells, you've been afraid that my motives have been to take her away from you," Helena said truthfully.

The mere mention of that happening sent the nurse back on her feet. "You wouldn't dare!" she spat and was ready for battle.

Myka's calmness might have smoothed over Kathleen's rage – but Helena's demeanor was stoking it all over again.

"I have had no say in your daughter's affections," Helena retorted.

"Are you kidding me?" Kathleen asked. "You have everything. You can give her everything. You practically _have_ given her everything!"

"I have given her nothing!" Helena yelled back because the woman was still not understanding what brought her there.

* * *

Myka heard the raised voices and put her hand on the doorknob ready to reenter, but then she heard the knock at the front door.

* * *

"Your daughter has earned everything she has. Her position, her title, her future - are all products of her hard work ethic, which I would guess you might have had _something_ to do with," Helena stated.

Kathleen heard the compliment in the CEO's statement, but she wasn't budging.

"Do you give all your hard working executives penthouse apartments and graduate degrees from the top business school?" Kathleen argued and irritated the last ounce of patience out of the Brit.

"I think I understand what is going on here," Helena shared, wanting desperately to put the woman in her place.

* * *

Myka was about to go back in when the knock came again, this time more urgently. She reluctantly let go of the doorknob to answer it. She swung the front door open wide and looked at the troupe outside. "I don't know if you're too early …..or too late," Myka said of their arrival.

"Oh my God, is my mother still here?" Eileen asked, rushing into the hallway.

"Is anyone hurt? No one's hurt, right? And by _no one_ , I mean the blonde one," Claudia said, out of the corner of her mouth. She rushed in behind Eileen.

John Sullivan was the only one who waited to be invited in. "Mr. Sullivan, did you drive …?" Myka asked, looking back at the couple. "Please, come in."

"Thank you, Mrs. Bering-Wells," the man said as he entered the vast hallway. "You're looking well."

"Thank you," Myka smiled because you couldn't be in this man's presence and not. "It's Myka, please."

"We'll just be getting Kathleen and get out of your way. You must be tired," John said and his eyes were filled with apologies.

"I had no idea she would do this," Eileen said to Myka, thinking this was easier than apologizing to Helena.

"She's a nurse, right?" Claudia said, thinking out loud. "So, you know, on the bright side, she will know what to do if there are ….wounds, or cuts, or bruises," she blathered on.

"No one's hurt," Myka said and quickly added, "Yet."

"Let me talk some sense into her before she does something she regrets," John pleaded even though he knew he stood little chance of getting Kathleen off the ledge. He pulled his head back, hoping only Myka would hear him. _As soon as he heard his wife's message, he knew what was going on. It wasn't the content of her voicemail; it was the frightened tone he heard. He knew there was only one thing that scared the woman who dealt with life and death every day._ "It's because …..," but then he didn't finish. It was too hard for him to say.

* * *

At that moment though, his wife was completing that very sentence.

"You understand nothing," Kathleen responded, her anger refueled. "You want to know why I'm here?" she shouted and now everyone could hear her. "After we got Eileen, I spent nights worried sick that someone would tell us there was a problem with the adoption, or her birth parents would miraculously reappear and take her. The circumstances surrounded that event were murky at best. And I was always afraid someone – a distant relative - would try to take her. It took me years to trust that was not going to happen. And then she goes to work for you! And just as she launching into the world, and I am doing my best to let her go, she winds up with her only biological connection in the world! And the threat came back at me," Kathleen shared, unable to keep her voice from shaking now. "But she's a grown woman, capable of making her own decisions, I told myself. But look at what I'm up against," the nurse said, throwing her hand out towards Helena who sat silent, allowing the woman to talk now that she was at the heart of the matter.

* * *

"Dad?" Eileen said, after hearing how scared her mother was – all these years. Claudia turned her head, so no one would see the stream of tears falling. Myka watched as John put his arm around Eileen. "We worried, honey. You mom saw adoptions get screwed up. It scared her," he said and kissed his daughter on the head. Then he pulled Claudia into him because he could see how affected she was. She had the deepest understanding of loss out of any of them standing there.

* * *

"I know I'm being irrational, Ms. Wells," was the first rational think Kathleen said. "But I swear, I won't let anyone …," but the next words wouldn't come. The emotions collapsed inward and Kathleen knew she was fighting an old demon; not Helena.

"Mom?" Eileen said from the doorway after Myka agreed she could go in.

"Honey?" Kathleen said, overwhelmed with feeling foolish. "I am …"

"Mom, Helena was being kind," Eileen said, taking care of matters one at a time.

"I know that now," Kathleen said, swallowing her pride and looking at Helena. "I am so sorry."

Helena rose from her seat as Myka joined her at her side. "The thought that our children are moving away from us is a scary thing," the Brit spoke knowingly. "Your daughter is the strong individual she is because of all you have taught her. You have nurtured her and given her the love that has allowed her to mature into the woman she is. I've never seen a daughter more devoted to her parents. Nothing can change that," Helena spoke clearly.

Eileen hugged Kathleen, who fought like hell not to get hysterical. John pulled out a white handkerchief and openly wiped the tears in his eyes, as she held onto Claudia.

"Mom, nothing can ever change what we have. No one can ever take your place. You need to trust that. You need to trust me," Eileen said holding her mother's arms and looking into teary eyes.

"I owe you all an apology," Kathleen said, caught between her feelings.

"It's the excitement over the wedding. Come on, Kath, I'll take you home," John said as his wife walked towards him. Claudia walked over to Eileen and took her hand.

"So, that went well," the techie said, trying to keep emotions at bay.

"Yes," Helena concurred, exhausted by yet another visit from a nurse.

"I am sorry, to both of you," Eileen said. "I don't think I ever truly understood how frightened they were."

"Well, then, some good has come out of this impromptu gathering," her boss smiled.

Eileen thanked them again and joined her parents outside in the hallway. "Families, huh?" Claudia said to Helena as they followed Myka into the foyer.

"Speaking of families, Claudia. Have you made arrangements for your brother to come?" Helena asked, because that was on her list of things to take care of.

Claudia stopped in her tracks and turned back to face Helena. "Please don't say anything, but he can't make it," Claudia said, nervous Eileen would overhear. One look at Helena's disbelief prompted her to add, "Yeah, when we moved the date, he said he's swamped at work and so, yeah, I say, you know, not to worry about it." She didn't once look Helena in the eye when she spoke those words.

"Why are we whispering?" Helena asked.

"Oh, I don't want Eileen to hear that because then she'll want to move the date and all," Claudia said and then thanked Helena again and walked out.

* * *

The couple bade the group good night after Kathleen apologized to them both one more time. "Please lock that door and bolt it, lest another woman have issue with me," Helena begged.

"No one is getting to you tonight, but me," Myka said, gently pushing Helena back against the wall.

"Oh, feeling territorial are we?" Helena egged her on.

"You are a very gracious woman, Helena. I don't want people thinking they can take advantage of that," Myka said defensively. "I heard what you said to Eileen's mother. You were really so kind after what she said," Myka said, pushing the hair back on Helena's face.

"I cannot hold them accountable, Myka. They have no idea why their words would wound me so. It's not their fault," Helena said.

Myka stood back a little just so she could look deeply into Helena's eyes. "You are the strongest person I know," she said and leaned into kiss Helena hard on the lips.

"One kiss from those lips can weaken me," Helena smiled and touched Myka's bee stung bottom lip.

"Will I carry you upstairs then?" Myka suggested in so sultry a tone, that if it weren't for the fact she was already carrying someone, Helena would have taken her up on her offer.

"How do you do that?" Helena asked, staring at the very cause of her weakness.

"Do what?" Myka asked as they reached the top of the stairs.

This time it was Helena who moved into her space, taking her hands and bending to kiss them. "Myka, you wash away whatever pain the world thrusts at me. Just by your presence, I feel I can sustain anything," Helena said openly.

"Then why did you ask me to leave you and Kathleen alone?" Myka wondered out loud.

"Darling, I've seen you get upset with someone. It's not a pretty picture," Helena admitted.

Myka pulled Helena by her hand and scoffed. "I will always protect you," she said as she went ahead of Helena into the bedroom.

Helena stopped in the doorway to look at her beautiful wife, who seemed to become more beautiful each day.

" _We both will_ ," Helena heard softly in her ear – even though there was no one there.

* * *

 **Next up: All Helena is going to break loose.**

 **Also: to get an idea of what John and Kathleen Sullivan might look like, see the board "Supporting Cast" on Pinterest - ManhattaniteNYC.**

 **Many thanks.**


	39. Sing the Body Electric

**Sing the Body Electric**

With Helena's gaze fixed on Myka, it was easy for her to simply file that question of what was the voice she heard in her ear for later. Her attention that night was completely devoted to enjoying Myka's deft ministrations which brought Helena's entire body a much needed release. There wasn't a part of Helena, inside and out, that Myka wasn't about to effect. She may not be able to stop the world from imposing on her wife, but she was going to wash away the effects with tender loving care.

And incredibly hot sex.

Myka had long accepted the oddity of the effect words had on her wife. Not the usual descriptive words of lovemaking during foreplay, but rather words of _intent_. And _direction_. Helena moaned loudly when Myka simply pushed her hand away or told her in no uncertain terms – 'no'. Myka being in charge was simply one of the biggest turn-on's for a person who personified control.

It was, in fact, Helena who had taught Myka how to be such an attentive lover and as usual, Myka was at the top of the class. She knew the exact moment that Helena could not take the excruciating tension of delay any longer and the perfect pace of release that caused Helena's body to shudder with tantalizing delight.

"When…..," Helena tried to ask, but was so out of breath, she had to wait a minute to finish her thought. "…..did you become _so_ ambidextrous?" she gasped out, her ivory skin moist from the heat.

Pleased that she had pleasured Helena so thoroughly, Myka kissed the sensitive tip of Helena's breast that had been at attention for what seemed like hours now. "When I discovered you have so many delicious body parts that I need to touch all at once," Myka answered, her voice sultry. Helena moaned her response as Myka demonstrated her point.

Exhausted, yet her need to touch Myka insatiable, Helena willed the strength back into her body. Her touches on Myka were gentle, but no less urgent. "Get the _glove_ ," Myka begged because Helena's invention proved to be quite the enticement. The experience of having just explored Helena's delicate flesh meant Myka was already teetering on the precipice. After torturous minutes of carefully placed strokes, off target on purpose, Helena's gloved fingers reached the most sensitive spot of her wife's core. The vibrating detonation made Myka push up on her heels and arch her back for what seemed like an eternity while she repeatedly uttered 'YES! YES! OH GOD, YES!' – until she wore the words out.

They collapsed next to one another; Helena's front pressed against Myka's back, their fingers entwined.

* * *

While the couple slept peacefully, a curiosity seeker – the fifth one that week – climbed the stone steps to the front door of the famous couple. With camera in hand, he leaned over and attempted to aim the device in the window. While the anti-reflective coating would have prevented him from getting the shot, it was the mild –yet effective – electrical shock what seemed to emanate from the very ground he stood on that stopped him. Shaken, yet unharmed, he left in a hurry.

The Townhouse security was now being handled by the Warehouse.

* * *

While Myka's incredible lovemaking erased the stress of the day; it did not expunge Helena's memory. The events were still on Helena's mind as she arrived at work the next morning. Once she said goodbye to Myka, she headed to the 17th floor. The person she wanted to see was, in fact, waiting for her.

"What is it with _you people_?" she asked as soon as she saw Gloria Brown who was standing with Irene.

Now, Irene was used to Helena's acuity for expressing her thoughts in the worst possible manner, but Gloria was still learning Helenese. "Excuse me?" Gloria said, not yet offended.

"You. Your group. Your tribe," Helena said because simple words evaded the woman when she was frustrated that people didn't understand her very thoughts. Like Irene did.

"I think she …," the wise woman started to say.

"My…. _tribe_?" Gloria asked, wanting to hear Helena's explanation and not Irene's interpretation.

"Well, of course you're not _all_ alike," Helena conceded. "But surely there are variables that add up to the common denominator with all of you."

"Variables …such as," Gloria asked and now even Sui stood up because no program he possessed was deciphering this. Not even his _HG Wells_ vernacular program.

Helena drew a deep breath, because she didn't have time for this. "The way you dress, for one?" she pointed out.

"The way _we_ dress?" Gloria wondered out loud.

Helena's head twisted quickly to look at Irene as if to ask – ' _Why is she repeating everything I say_?' "Oh," Helena said, thinking this would explain everything. "The habit you all seem to have in common of annoying me?"

"Are you suggesting ….," Gloria was about to solve the puzzle.

"I am suggesting you're doing it again," Helena said and threw her hands up in the air and stared at Irene. Then she walked to her office, stopping only a second to say to Irene; "I'm imploring you to get her up to speed!"

With that, the CEO was behind her door, her day already getting off on the wrong foot.

Gloria looked at the Interpreter. "I don't think she means …. I believe she was taking about …." Irene tried, but wasn't exactly sure how to finish.

It seemed neither Sui's programs, nor could Irene's intuition, could quite figure this out yet. Without the knowledge of Kathleen Sullivan's visit, part of the equation was missing. Irene went inside to find out what it was.

* * *

"Where were you last night?" Helena asked without even turning around, sensing who walked in behind her.

"Funny enough, I was having dinner with Nurse Brown," Irene said, standing there with her hands crossed in front of her. She was almost giggling at the answer because she was still surprised at how well it went.

"Oh, great!" Helena bemoaned the response. "I love it when people who annoy me the most socialize together and think of new ways to irk me."

"We actually didn't have time to plan your demise, sad to say," Irene retorted and sat down, readying herself for whatever this was. "What did you mean before….?" she attempted.

"While you were dining with that woman, I had the pleasure of having a visit from Kathleen Sullivan," Helena said and Irene sat up straight in her chair. "You remember Mrs. Sullivan, don't you? Invited me to dinner and then _got all up in my face_." The expression, not one of Helena's, but Pete's, didn't exactly flow off her tongue and her hand gesturing in front of her face caused Irene to cough, to suppress the laugh.

"I believe you invited yourself to that dinner, and the woman had just received the news that you were Ms. Sullivan's relative," Irene clarified.

"How is it that you can't remember a thing I tell you to do, but the particulars of that night so long ago are fresh in your memory?" Helena demanded to know.

"I'm not as old as you think?" Irene offered because she knew there was no answer that would satisfy the CEO.

"Are we done talking about _you_?" Helena asked and sat back in her chair….waiting.

"What was the visit about?" Irene asked, getting back to the important issue, and refocusing Helena.

"I can't say I blame her," Helena started out sympathetically. "Apparently, she's always been concerned about an event that would disrupt their family, given the circumstances of Eileen's adoption." Helena's voice softened as she relayed the event and what she learned.

"Was Myka there?" Irene asked, concerned on the effect it had for her.

"She …sensed the visitor and came downstairs. She insisted on talking to the woman," the Brit shared and then remembered something. "Apparently, her presence had a soothing effect on Kathleen because suddenly, everyone was on a first name basis."

Irene listened carefully because the things that Helena highlighted were always part of what the real issue was. "She …called…you….by your first name?" Irene asked.

"No! Not me; Myka. No, her manner of speaking didn't warm up until Myka entered the room," Helena said.

"What did Eileen say when she found out that her mother was paying you a visit?" Irene asked.

"She was quite upset, as was her father. He's the only explanation for the woman having any calm manner at all," Helena surmised. "He came with the engaged couple to rescue their matriarch."

"How did it end?" Irene asked, unable to make any of these puzzle pieces fit into a good outcome.

Helena shrugged her shoulders and glanced up at the ceiling. "Rather well, I guess. The distraught woman came to her senses, apologized appropriately to everyone, and they left."

"So, the connection with Gloria….," Irene started and she sounded like a contestant on Wheel of Fortune who had just asked to unravel the puzzle. "….is that they're….. nurses!" She clasped her hands together having solved it.

Helena looked quizzically at her from across the desk. "Yes, of course. Whatever else would it be?" and her expression had 'duh' written all over it. "That and the fact they both annoyed me to no end yesterday. Nether their fault."

"Gloria will be happy to know what the association was," Irene said, relieved there was a simple explanation.

"Oh good!" Helena said sarcastically. "I wouldn't want to lose sleep tonight thinking the woman was confused by something I said. And what the devil were you doing having dinner with her?"

"She asked me," Irene responded truthfully, but the answer only served to annoy her boss.

"Why would she do that?" Helena asked because she had trouble getting her head around the fact that Irene wasn't always available 24/7. "Had she not, you could have handled the runaway mother of the bride!"

"How would I have….?" Irene hesitantly asked, knowing fully well it was expected that she would just know. "Yes, of course."

Helena was still sorting out her feelings about Irene having dinner with the nurse. Logically, she knew she had no say in the matter and that there was no harm in it. Emotionally, Helena didn't like it one bit.

"Well, while you were off cavorting for whatever reason I still do not understand, I handled the matter," Helena said.

"With your usual aplomb, I am sure," Irene said and drew the stare of obsidian eyes that told her the comment was unnecessary. "Well, I had the opportunity to see Ms. Brown's collection," Irene said, and waited to see if she had Helena's attention. She did. "I think the purpose of the dinner was to give me a chance to get to know her better, Helena. She felt terrible about what happened yesterday, even though she does not understand the impact. I think she'd like me to be the buffer, if you will, on any other items that might be of interest to you."

"My buffer?" Helena harrumphed. "My buffer should have been at the Townhouse to greet my accuser."

"Good point," Irene said because that was the answer Helena wanted to hear. Then she told her about the journals.

"Have you read them?" Helena asked.

"I would not, without your consent," Irene responded and that pleased Helena, even though she wouldn't have minded.

"I would like to include some things of Amelia Brown's in the museum. Not her journals, for I think they would be far too personal. But perhaps other things – her book for example," Helena said, and Irene could hear the affection in her voice for the woman.

"She must have been a remarkable woman, given the times and all," Irene said, thinking Amelia was another unsung hero that history was not allowed to remember.

Helena was about to right that wrong. "She was indeed. She was a woman ahead of her time as well," the Time Traveler remarked. "We certainly had that in common." It meant a great deal to Helena to be able to share those tidbits of unadulterated truth with someone who cared for her as much as Irene did. "I have a great deal going on though, so let's wait on the journals."

"Of course," Irene agreed and got up to leave.

"She has her calm manner, I will admit," Helena said, thinking about Gloria.

There wasn't much about Helena that threw Irene after all these years, but when she refereed to someone she knew over a hundred years ago, the woman still marveled at how that came about.

* * *

Eileen was bringing tea into Helena as Irene was leaving. "Did she tell you?" Eileen asked and it was easy for the HR Director to tell how worried the young executive was.

"Yes, but Helena understands," Irene said assuredly.

"But with so much on her mind! I feel terrible that we asked her to help," Eileen confessed.

"She wouldn't do it unless she wanted to," Irene said, gently patting Eileen's arm. "She'll enjoy that," she said of the tea.

Eileen went into Helena's office and put down the tea. Helena assured her no apologies were necessary and that she understood what motivated her mother. Eileen didn't think she had ever met a more gracious person than Helena.

* * *

The cure for Myka's sluggishness that morning came in the familiar form of her friend, Bridget.

"God, you seem tired," she remarked when she saw Myka's sleepy eyes. "Is it the pregnancy?" she inquired.

"No," Myka said and the telltale blush of an incredible night of sex immediately flashed across her cheeks.

"Oh my God! I can't believe I'm going to ask you this, but is pregnancy sex good?" Bridget said, sitting at attention like a news reporter at a White House briefing.

Ordinarily, Myka evaded Bridget's prying inquiries; not because they were uncomfortable, but because there was no end once she answered. "It's always good with Helena," Myka responded and laughed at her own boldness.

"Oh, stop bragging," Bridget chastised her friend.

"Everything is …heightened," Myka admitted and that was enough to evoke ten more questions.

"I'm so glad to hear this, Myka. I couldn't go nine months without some ….of that," Bridget said, somehow believing her language should be more proper around a pregnant woman. "My boobs will probably smother Sarah, though," she said, cupping her already endowed bosom.

The two friends laughed over the banker's self-irreverence. Then Bridget shared that Sarah was working on a new line of pregnancy clothes and wanted to drop them off at the Townhouse later. "I think you'll like them. Nothing with a bow right under your bust line to accentuate your bump like the typical male design," Bridget said of the usual maternity clothes.

Millie came in with a tray of coffee and homemade cannoli's that she made especially for her boss. "You have got to stop doing this," the banker implored. "She doesn't eat them and then I do out of obligation to, you know, make you feel good."

"How is the nursery coming along?" Bridget asked and Millie decided she had to hear about it, so she pulled up a chair.

Myka only stared a moment at her assistant before answering that it would be done in a couple of days.

"Is Helena making it look like a mini CEO office. You know, like the changing table is really a credenza and there are floor to ceiling bookcases?" Bridget laughed and Millie joined in.

"No!" Myka refuted, and then shared that she thought Helena was disappointed when she told her to wait until their offspring was in school before setting up tables for experiments.

"OH!" Bridget said, the light bulb going off. "What about Mother and Daughter matching outfits! Like a sundress for you and one for the baby. But for Helena, it will be a white lab coat and a tiny little white lab coat!" Bridget laughed the most at her own joke.

"Is it a girl?" Millie asked with great interest. She was already knitting a yellow and white blanket because she couldn't wait to find out if it were a boy or a girl.

"We aren't revealing the sex of the baby," Myka said, because that's what they had agreed upon.

"What color are you painting the room?" Millie asked and Myka bit her lip not to reveal that it was pink.

"Wait! What names are you thinking of?" Bridget said, changing the subject. "This is really important, Myka, I cannot stress this enough. Names are a big deal!"

"Yes!" Millie affirmed. "I always hated my name," she shared and then Bridget chimed in that she did, too.

"Here's how to do it, Myka," she said leaning forward. "Pick a name and then insert it in the ' _Name Game_ ' song. _Bridget, Bridget, Bo, Bidget, Banana, fanna, fo, Fidget. Fe fi mo. Midget. Bridget_!" the well-groomed investment banker sang with her heart. "I wish my mother had used that method."

"Well, no, we …are…we ..haven't….," Myka stammered because they hadn't really.

"Do you name the baby after someone in the family?" Millie asked, giving into temptation and taking one of her own pastries.

"A little HG Wells," Bridget laughed and had to cover her mouth so the food didn't spill. "He'll be in a tiny little suit with a leather briefcase."

"Stop it," Myka implored, but was laughing at her friend's antics. That was the thing about Bridget; her humor was never derogatory or mean. And she was wicked funny.

"You could do a combination of names," Millie suggested. "Hemy*, Hyka, Melena," she said out loud as she played with the combination.

" _Melena_?" Bridget gasped. "You don't want the kid to get her ass kicked the first day of preschool, do you?"

The trio laughed together, but it did make Myka realize that they had not really talked about a name. Perhaps she would broach the subject tonight at dinner. It will be fun, she thought, to choose the name with Helena.

Myka didn't know that her parents would be there for the discussion.

* * *

 **Thank you to Aidyl James for making up this combination name for the future heir.**


	40. Surprise!

**Surprise!**

Feeling satisfied that she finally got Irene back on track, Helena set about to fix things for her other friend. She had Sui contact Joshua Donovan in Switzerland and get him on her private line. The brother of her favorite IT Director was not an easy man to reach. Working in the Hadron Collider facility in Switzerland meant all of his emails, texts and phone messages were monitored. Not to mention an irate supervisor who didn't appreciate someone calling for him during work hours.

But this wasn't ' _someone'_ calling.

"Listen to me carefully," Helena said over the speaker phone to the boss. "I don't care what time it is there. And do not make me call my banker to retract my contribution to your facility." When his answer was delivered in a sarcastic tone, she got his name and emailed it to Irene. ' _Have him fired immediately!'_ the message read. Irene would spend the next hour searching for the staff member in the Wells Corp database.

Finally, Joshua was allowed to speak, but not before he was given a stern warning to keep it short. "Is Claudia okay?" he asked as soon as he got on the line.

"It depends on what you mean by _okay_ ," Helena answered, sitting back comfortably in her chair. "If you mean, is she content with enabling you and putting your needs first, then I would say – yes, she's fine."

Joshua knew his sister's boss' reputation, but nothing prepared him for speaking to her on the phone now. "I explained this all to Claudia," he tried. "I feel terrible about this, but the change in the date conflicts with a deadline here."

Helena drew in a deep breath and sighed. _Why did everyone have to make things so complicated_ , she wondered. "What kind of deadline?" she asked, as she crossed her long legs that were adorned in yellow high heels that matched the yellow flowers in her dress with the black belt.

"What?" Joshua asked because he wasn't sure there was enough time to explain this to someone who didn't work there. "I'm not sure…," the young scientist mistakenly attempted, but was promptly cut off.

"You do realize, my dear Mr. Donovan, that I come from a family that wrote an essay in 1881 called " _The Universe Rigid_ ; look it up. In this article, HG Wells describes a four dimensional time-space universe, which was then used as the foundation of a little something I like to call, " _The Time Machine_." You've heard of it?" Helena asked sardonically and Joshua nodded his head which she could not see, but gave him the benefit of the doubt. "This book, darling, was published many years before Albert Einstein published his _Special Theory of Relativity_ , which as you know, introduced the idea of time as a fourth dimension. So, Mr. Donovan, do not hold back on what your deadline is about for I assure you, I could run circles around whatever the topic is."

Joshua felt his mouth drop open. He finally shared the general nature of the deadline only to have Helena suggest a tweak in the calculations that in turn saved him hours of work. As soon as he implemented the change, his computer screen spewed forth data at a rapid rate. "I can't believe you knew to do this!" he said in total amazement.

"Yes, well, I won't hold that against you. Now that you're up and running, I will have the necessary details sent to you so you can be here for your sister's wedding," he was instructed. "Remember, it's a surprise," Helena warned.

"I will need my boss to sign off, but it shouldn't be an issue," Joshua explained.

"Well, you better get him to sign it soon," Helena said, certain the man's termination would be momentary.

* * *

With that crossed off her list, Helena then instructed Sui to find the experts in all matters of weddings. Each was sent a copy of what Claudia and Eileen decided they wanted, with instructions that they were to make their proposals to a - _Mrs. Kathleen Sullivan of Brooklyn_. Then she emailed the engaged couple and updated them. A tray with the perfectly brewed cup of tea soon appeared on her desk in appreciation.

Helena's day was sailing along and she was looking forward to having dinner with Myka, especially since her wife had texted and said she would be late, but they had something fun to discuss.

Irene soon appeared in the CEO's office and explained that she had combed the staff directories and could not find the man she insisted should be fired. "Before I even get to why he should be terminated," Irene began, "I must admit that I can't find him in any department."

"He doesn't work here," Helena clarified.

Irene stopped checking her tablet and looked at her boss. "Where …. _does_ …he work?"

"CERN, near Geneva," Helena stated plainly.

"You do know my jurisdiction stops at around 87th Street, right?" Irene asked.

"I don't expect _you_ to fire him," Helena said, rolling her eyes. "Call the HR Director over there."

"And the reason?" Irene asked just for kicks and giggles.

"He's incompetent," Helena said and then relayed the data on which she based this theory.

"Do you think we could let him off with a stern warning this time? I hear theoretical physicists are hard to find," Irene asked, wondering what she would do if Helena said no.

"I'll leave it in your competent hands," Helena said when she saw the time. She was going to take advantage of getting home first.

* * *

Leena opened the front door of the Townhouse and the disbelief immediately registered on her face. "Mr. and Mrs. Bering!" she said, but didn't open the door any wider as she contemplated what to do.

"Leena!" Jeannie Bering said and started to walk forward when she realized the House Director was not budging. "We…came to surprise Myka and Helena," she whispered, as if that were the secret password.

"Could we come in?" Warren said, holding the two suitcases. "There was a shady looking guy over there by the corner," he pleaded because his mistrust of life in New York had not improved much.

"Oh yes, I'm sorry," Leena said and opened the door wider for the couple to step in. "Let me help you," she said, taking one of the bags that Myka's father carried. She struggled to even lift it.

"Heavy, right?" Warren noted. "She brought the whole darn store, I swear," he complained.

"Oh, Warren," Jeannie said, gently slapping his arm. "There weren't too many pregnancy books written when I was pregnant with the girls, so he doesn't understand that I want Myka to have all the latest information."

"From a book?" Leena slipped because it was as if the bibliophile couple never heard of the internet sometimes.

"Now, I don't want the girls to know we're here," Jeanne instructed and said how she and Warren – on a _whim_ – decided to drop everything and come. "Do you think they'll be surprised?" she asked.

"Oh, yes, I'm almost certain of it," Leena smiled uncomfortably. She was also sure Helena was going to outlaw - whims. Especially by her in-laws.

"Look at these stairs," Warren said, walking over to the grand staircase that led to the upper floors. "My grandson will break his neck. They're going to have to put up gates. Do you have a hardware store around here?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm sure they'll …do something," Leena assured him.

"That's true!" Jeannie chimed in. "There's so much glass and…electrical sockets," she said, looking around the imposing entrance. "Get a pack of those plugs for the wall outlets, Warren."

"How about I make you some tea and sandwiches?" Leena said, gently guiding Mrs. Bering into the dining room, her husband following. Then, she raced out of the room, even though they told her not to bother with food.

"I wonder where they put my grandmother's vase," Jeannie said out loud as she looked around the room.

"Gotta access _Bering heirloom vase_ ," Leena said as she scrambled to use the program Helena built to put a visitor's wedding gift on display in one of the rooms. The Bering's said not to tell Myka or Helena. They didn't mention Irene. Leena was typing as fast as she could to ask the HR Director what to do when Warren stuck his head through the kitchen door. "Does that daughter-in-law of mine have any tools? Never mind, I'll poke around."

* * *

" _Contain them_!" Irene instructed as she tried to reach Helena, but there was no answer. Considering the device was usually glued to Helena's hand, Irene kept trying. Finally, Pete answered when he found the phone in the back seat. It had slipped out of her coat pocket in the back of the car.

"The Bering's are here," was all Irene said and heard Pete yelp. "Whadda we do?" he panicked.

"Bring her the phone and keep Mr. Bering busy," Irene instructed and Pete turned around in traffic to head back.

* * *

Leena found Irene's instruction rather challenging because when she returned to the dining room, the parents had split up. The basement door was opened, and she could hear Mrs. Bering upstairs, trying to choose a bedroom. She decided Myka's father could cause more damage downstairs than his wife could searching for a bedroom upstairs. She looked in the front hallway and was certain no one was home yet because the telltale signs of Helena's discarded bag and coat were not there. They had, in fact, been picked up by her mother- in-law before ascending the staircase. Leena called to Mr. Bering, but he was too busy hammering pieces of wood he found to make a frame for the baby gate. Descending the stairs, she pleaded with him to stop, but he assured her that he could measure space without the use of a tape measure and proceeded to bring the pieces of wood upstairs.

"Helena is very _particular_ about …not adding …..pieces of wood to the walls, Mr. Bering," Leena cried as he continued banging.

* * *

Pete rushed through the front door and looked around. "Why did she ever take that chip out?" he asked because finding Helena was harder since the tracking device was removed. He rushed up the stairs and gingerly starting looking around. He gently knocked on the couple's bedroom door, but there was no answer. Then he peeked in the next room – but that was the unfinished nursery. He tiptoed down the other end of the hallway, when he heard the sound of his boss talking on the house phone.

Helena had taken a quick shower and was wearing one of Myka's favorite lingerie outfits; a black lace teddy covered by a black short kimono. Her plan was to greet her wife when she arrived home. A plan she thought was ruined when she heard Myka knock on the door. She rushed to it and whipped the door open, seconds after whipping open her robe and said –

"Welcome home, Darling," in a sultry British voice.

Pete's eyes widened and his heart stopped. A tiny voice inside him screamed to run away, but he was looking at Helena – in lingerie – and nothing computed. Except when he heard Mrs. Bering calling out – " _Is that you, Helena_?" as she approached.

Finally, Pete sprang into action. Well, he meant to, but it was more like – running into Helena and toppling her over.

Irene came through the back door just in time to hear Leena yelling at Mr. Bering as she pulled the hammer out of his hand as he swung back to strike the first nail. Myka came through the front door to witness the encounter and they all heard Mrs. Bering screaming when she saw a man atop her daughter-in-law.

In the moment one's brain is enveloped in fear and it's trying to decide – _fight, flight, or freeze_ – Pete froze. This then made it impossible for Helena to move.

"Dad?" Myka asked as she rushed up the stairs and down the hallway to see her mother's mouth agape in front of her bedroom.

"Don't look, Myka," her mother said, trying to pull Myka away.

"Would you please be so kind as to get off me?" Helena asked, gasping as the dead weight of her bodyguard pressed down on her. Pete was afraid to move – afraid he might _touch_ something.

"Are you okay?" Myka said to Helena, pulling Pete back by the collar of his jacket. She had remarkable strength for a pregnant woman, he noted.

"Yes, I was afraid to move," Pete said, his head flung back and his eyes cast on the ceiling as if he had whiplash.

"I _meant_ Helena," Myka said and bent down to help her wife up.

"What are you doing in Helena's bedroom?" Mrs. Bering demand and Pete tried to walk, but kept bumping into things with his head bent backwards.

"Mr. Lattimer? Are you okay?" Irene asked from the doorway, sizing up what just transpired.

At the sound of her voice, Pete finally felt it was safe to look forward. "Oh, yes!" he said of her presence and grabbed the HR Director in a bear hug. "Thank you, thank you," he repeated.

Irene arched an eyebrow and looked over at Helena. "Are you okay?" she asked, as she patted Pete's back because he had not let go of her. The man hadn't moved because he was afraid of which of the women that surrounded him was going to cause him bodily harm.

The three women started to all talk at once: Myka surprised by her mother's presence; Helena refuting that Pete was in her room; and Mrs. Bering lamenting that you just can't get good help anymore.

* * *

Irene carefully led the poor man down the stairs where their exit was blocked by Mr. Bering and his handiwork. "Oh, hey, Pete; Mrs. Frederic. Pete, give me a hand here, will you?"

"Mister Bering!" Irene said sternly and Leena uttered – "You shoulda listened," because she knew who would be in charge now.

"What was all that screaming about?" Myka's father finally asked.

Pete swallowed hard and said – "I fell," and his voice cracked when he said it.

"Help Mr. Bering take this contraption away before someone builds the rest of the cell and puts him in it," Irene said, turning to Pete.

* * *

Upstairs, Myka was still taking in the welcome home outfit Helena was wearing. "Wow," she whispered and Helena smiled. It was the closest they would get to enjoying it because they could hear Irene speaking sternly to Warren downstairs.

"I'll …just put something on," Helena said, disappointed as her wife and mother-in-law went to investigate.

"Daddy? What are you doing?" Myka said from the top of the steps with plenty of surprise left over from seeing her mother.

And then the perfect distraction knocked at the front door. "We should just put a revolving door in," Leena said as she opened it.

"The Bering's?" Bridget said when she saw the couple. She was helping Sarah in with the clothing samples.

"Get the martinis, Leena, this is going to be good."


	41. The Unbearable Berings

**The Unbearable Berings  
**

Helena was back downstairs in a flash, wearing grey pants and a black blouse that hung off her shoulder exposing the strap of the teddy she still wore underneath. Myka took a moment away from the pandemonium to smile at that.

Bridget, in the meantime, decided to help by preparing the martinis herself. "I would _pay_ to see this," she said, handing a drink to Sarah. Irene decided that, in spite of the aggravation, this would be a perfect opportunity for Gloria to learn about the Berings. " _You will gain invaluable insight_ ," she said in her text that instructed the woman to come to the Townhouse. Pete also sent out a text: " _Save me_ ," was the only message Jane got and decided she better go see what was up with her fiancé.

"Do not touch anything!" Irene instructed Myka's father and asked Pete to return the tool and nailed wood to the basement.

"Too much _Bob Vila_ , Mr. Bering?" Bridget said, sitting down on the lounge couch in the hallway. It was like getting front row seats to a Broadway show.

"It's their _first_ child," he answered and then decided his insight was better used on his daughter. "Myka, this is your _first_ child. Your house isn't child proof."

"So that's how everyone keeps getting in," Irene said and Bridget, who had just taken her first sip, nearly choked.

"Drama _with_ a side of comedy," she whispered to Sarah.

"Helena, you're a _reasonably_ bright woman," Warren said, trying to get her to agree with him. Bridget's hand flew out to grab her wife's thigh because she was certain the Brit was about to lose it. But Helena had her spokesperson there - and Irene was firing on all cylinders.

"Which is _exactly_ why we will trust them both to take the necessary precautions," Irene said and put her stiff body between the parents and the couple. "Shall we?" she asked and Warren found himself moving backwards as the HR Director moved her erect frame directly at him. Irene waved her finger at everyone else, and they lined up and marched behind her in formation into the dining room.

"Well, I'll be darned," Jeannie said when they reentered the dining room. "The vase has been here the whole time!" she said in amazement. Leena's quick thinking had made certain of it.

Warren attempted to sit at the head of the table, an unconscious move on his part, but he was respectfully pointed in the direction of the chair next to his wife by the woman in charge.

"She does not pay you enough," Bridget said to Irene as she took her seat across from the Berings.

* * *

"I'm sorry," Myka said, turning to Helena and kissing her before they joined the others.

"Don't be, Darling," Helena assured her. "You had no way of knowing they were here."

Myka smiled and reached out and slipped her finger underneath the strap of the teddy. "No, I mean - I'm …. _really_ sorry….," she said, referring to the welcoming she missed out on.

Helena's face lit up and goosebumps erupted at the mere touch. "We'll just think of this as a little interruption," she smiled and bit her lower lip in anticipation. "Shall we?" Helena said and put her arm out for Myka to take. As if going into battle, Myka nodded, took Helena's arm, drew in a deep breath, and then walked into the dining room with her.

"Oh, there you are," Jeannie said. "Now, let's get off to a fresh start," the mother suggested as Leena put out a platter of sandwiches and iced tea. "Oh, thank you, Leena. You shouldn't have gone to all the trouble."

Myka smiled at her mother's attempt to start over, but the relief was short-lived. "Now, Mr. Lattimer, how did you wind up on top of my daughter-in-law?" Jeannie asked Pete directly and his throat started to close.

"Mr. Lattimer is my bodyguard. He's highly trained to sense danger and he must have detected some, or he wouldn't have tried to get me out of the way," Helena said, smiling. The statement was a shot at her in-laws and relief for Pete. It was the first normal breath he took. It went over the Berings heads, as Helena expected.

Helena now sat at the head of the table and Myka was to her right. She felt the familiar sensation of Myka rubbing her foot with hers under the table. The Berings were …habitually …relentless in their blissful ignorance.

* * *

Pete shot out of his seat when he heard the doorbell ring, but Irene beat him to the door.

"It's Jane," he whispered to the HR Director.

"I think it's Nurse Brown," Irene said back and they both went to answer the bell.

They were both right.

Irene took Gloria's coat and hung it up in the hall closet. "I didn't think they had one of those," Jane said because she was more used to stepping over Helena's coat.

Irene explained to the nurse that Myka's parents were there and that she felt first-hand experience would be beneficial. With that, she walked the woman into the dining room and introduced her.

Jane could tell immediately that something was wrong with Pete. "Are you okay?" she asked, looking at him from head to toe.

"Actually," Pete started, trying to figure out how to say this. "I fell…. on Helena." He used exaggerated hand gestures to accentuate his point.

"You fell on her? Is she okay? Did you get hurt?" Jane asked, thinking there was more to this.

The more she asked, the more uncomfortable Pete seemed to get. "I …. _fell_ … _on_ her," he said again, this time his hands made a circular motion in front of his torso.

"And….?" Jane asked unable to solve the puzzle.

"I stayed there," Pete added. The good detective, who could put together crime scenes, better than most, was having trouble with this.

"Helena couldn't move, could she?" she asked, snapping her fingers because otherwise, Pete would have shown bruises.

"No," he said in a squeak.

In the meantime, Officer Bell, who had taken a course on _Interviewing Suspects,_ remembered how important it was to pay attention to what the perpetrators _DON'T_ say. Always anxious for an opportunity to impress her superior officer, she tugged at Jane's sleeve and whispered something in her ear. "Maybe….."

Jane listened carefully and thought about what her side kicked proposed. It was certainly within the range of possibilities. She looked at Officer Bell who nodded that this was the best possible explanation. Jane turned back to look at her fiancé. "Did you…," Jane started and coughed into her hand. "Did your body …by any chance….. _react_ to that encounter?" she carefully worded the question.

"YES!" Pete shouted and the guilt was lifted off his shoulders. Officer Bell smiled at having provided the key information to her boss.

"Hell, my body would probably react if I touched all of that," Jane scoffed.

"Wait! Really?" Pete asked relieved _and_ confused.

"Pete, it's Helena Wells," Jane said sympathetically. "Even Bell here would have cracked a smile if it happened to her," she said, trying to include the third wheel. Pete looked at the young officer whose only affirmation was a raised eyebrow.

* * *

Pete decided that it was safe to return to the dining room after announcing that Myka's parents were there. "Good thing we're armed," Jane said. Officer Bell offered to wait out in the hallway, but Jane insisted she come in. "You're part of this group whether you like it or not," Jane said. Officer Bell liked it very much. Everyone greeted the policewomen who joined them at the table.

"So, you're the nurse who's going to be accompanying my daughter?" Warren was asking Gloria. "Are we expecting trouble?"

"Not at all," Gloria replied.

"But you're the _company_ nurse. Are you qualified to handle pregnancies?" Jeannie asked.

"She wouldn't be here unless she was," Irene answered, putting an end to questions about the woman's credentials.

Gloria was busy watching Myka and Helena interact with the parents carefully. She was experienced enough to know that often the biggest source of stress for the expectant mother – was often the expectant grandparents.

"Now, let's hear what you have going for names," Warren jumped in and Jeannie, who thought they should wait, couldn't help but explain.

"You see, in our family, Helena….," Jeannie said, placing a large spoonful of potato salad on her husband's plate, and thereby missing Myka's dead glare.

"Mother…..," she started, but Jeannie said she just wanted to share something with Helena.

"She doesn't know _everything_ about us, dear," her mother said.

"I bet she will by tonight," Bridget said and Sarah squeezed her leg to behave. The Georgian banker came from a family where the parents were at _every_ athletic game for _every_ one of their kids. The family motto was – ' _If you think it, say it, and we'll argue about it'_. She was fascinated by how covert the Berings thought they were in telling Myka and Helena what they really thought.

"You see, Helena," Jeannie began again. "In _our_ family, we take naming the child very seriously," she said as if they were unique.

"I hope you're not thinking of naming my grandson after one of those princes," Warren said of the British Royals.

Helena opened her mouth to declare her dual citizenship, but Jeannie was already interrupting her. "We hope you're not keeping that _HG Wells_ name in the family, because, to be honest, that's a tough name for a little guy," Myka's mom pointed out.

" _HG Wells Bering_?" Warren thought out loud, skipping over the fact that his surname came first.

Irene, who sat at the other end of the table opposite Helena, watched cautiously. These were Myka's parents and she didn't want to overstep a boundary, unless she felt it was absolutely necessary. She was more on guard due to the fact that Helena was a much calmer creature now that Myka was by her side.

However, the Brit still had her limits.

"Excuse me?" Helena said and Bridget refilled anyone's glass that needed it.

"We know how busy you both are, so we thought we'd come up with some suggestions. Now, of course, you probably want to include a name from your family. As a middle name or something," Warren blathered on. "What was your father's name?"

"Dad, this is what Helena and I were going to talk about tonight, before you surprised us with your visit," Myka said slowly – hoping guilt would slow her father down.

"Oh, this _is_ good timing then," Jeannie said and really believed that. "We can give you some choices and then you and Helena can talk about it."

Gloria had put the sandwich up to her mouth, but abruptly stopped when the Berings let loose. Irene, as usual, was several steps ahead and was inconspicuously texting a message to Claudia – the resident photoshop expert. _Why hadn't she thought of it before?_

" _Piece of cake," the IT Director replied and set straight away. "We'll have it in place soon."_

Bridget couldn't believe how long Helena had gone without exploding at these people whom even she found annoying. She came up with her own unique way of helping. She poured a martini for Helena. And just as Warren asked a question that was on his mind - "Now, I know this is probably ridiculous, but if it's a boy, do either of you feel any obligation to include the _donor's_ name?" Warren asked because he truly believed the donor was sitting at the table. _The parents had many conversations at the dinner table at home trying to figure out the donor. The logical conclusion they came to was Pete, since they knew how much their daughter and Helena trusted him._

"Oh, Warren," Jeannie said, because she had done everything in her power to discourage him from mentioning that just yet.

Helena's hand flew up and she suddenly found it around a carefully poured drink that Bridget placed there. "I'm not saying _not_ to respond. I'm suggesting you take a sip before you do."

"Daddy! That's enough!" Myka yelled and her father put his hands up in defense.

"Sorry, Pete," he said and now the other end of the table erupted.

Pete's nerves were already fried so he simply protested that he wasn't the donor, but had he been asked, he would have been honored. For perhaps the first time in her life, Jane was speechless. Officer Bell gently moved Jane's hand off her gun. Leena rushed and brought out more food, still hoping that if she filled the parents' mouths, they'd shut up. Gloria instinctively put her hand out on Irene's arm when she recognized the look of murder in those chestnut eyes. Myka argued with her father's lack of decorum, while her parents explained he had the best of intentions.

The only calm one – it appeared – was Helena. Until –

"THAT IS QUITE ENOUGH!" - bellowed the English woman, out of patience.

There was dead silence, except for the tiptoeing of the last two invited guests coming through the front door and slipping into the living room. All eyes fell on Helena, who now stood at the end of the table – her fingers spread out and leaning in the direction of her in-laws.

"I am going to tell you this – _once_. You will say it can't be true. You will think I'm telling you this just to get you to stop, but I am telling you the truth. Once. And there will be no questions. You will accept it because, as God is my witness, it is the absolute truth. Do not doubt me, or there will be unpleasant repercussions. Do you understand me?" she asked and Myka's parents nodded their heads. It was the only part of their bodies that moved.

"You know CPR, right?" Bridget whispered to Gloria, who sat next to her, certain Jeannie or Warren would go into cardiac arrest if Helena kept staring at them.

Myka was sorry that her parents had pushed everyone to this point; especially her wife. But she trusted that Helena would set them straight.

Helena took a deep breath, reached out and took Myka's hand. "There was no donor. This baby will be the true progeny of both Myka and me. Through the miracle of ….," and Helena hesitated for a moment, "…..modern science, we have found a way to have a child that is ours."

She pulled Myka's hand up to kiss it and then she sat down.

Everyone, including the two late guests on the other side of the door, eavesdropping, was silent. Pete's head twitched a little as he tried to think this through; Irene smiled since she was the only one who knew, Gloria wondered what Helena's endgame was since she knew medically, this was yet implausible. Bridget squeezed Sarah's hand at the possibility. The light bulb went off over Leena's head as all those late nights in the basement and how crazy Helena was – made sense now.

Warren and Jeannie admitted to themselves that they weren't up on all the latest technologies, so they accepted what Helena said as possibly a strand of truth. "Okay," they both said.

"As for the child's name," and Helena looked over and smiled at Myka, "We will let you know that when the time is right."

Bridget was the first, of course, to break the tension in the room. "It's like I always say, Mr. Bering; it's not _what_ you know, it's _WHO_ you know."

The group erupted into nervous laughter and the late attendees came into the room. "What did we miss?" Claudia asked as she and Eileen said hello to everyone.

"Helena rules," Bridget said and Sarah leaned in and kissed her because she cherished the woman who was never at a loss of words.

With the newly engaged couple now present, the Berings quickly focused their attention on them. Finally, everyone had dessert and coffee.

* * *

Thankfully, the parents were tired after their trip and so they said goodnight to everyone before leaving to go upstairs.

Myka and Helena stood by the staircase as they said goodnight to their uninvited guests. "You know, Helena," Warren said because he had a gift for annoying his daughter-in-law, "I don't see any pictures of your family around here."

Helena's head snapped back to look at him. Truth be told, there were few pictures in the Townhouse because most of them were reminders to Helena of what she once had. The ones she had were located in her study upstairs, behind a locked door.

"Oh, Mr. Bering," Irene said, coming out on cue and taking the man by the arm, pulling him toward the living room. "You are a curious man," she said as she took the recently placed frame from a table and presented it to him.

Warren looked down at the picture of two parents and their daughter at Brighten Beach, the three in bathing suits. The mother and father were sitting in the sand; their young five year old daughter, who he could easily see was Helena, sat between them. As dense as Warren was, he noted how happy they all seemed. The story of Helena's parents dying young was a topic he and Jeannie rarely touched on, even with Myka.

"Handsome family," he said, feeling what might resemble guilt for having pried.

Finally, the group assembled in the hallway to bid their hostesses goodnight as Irene returned with Warren.

"Now, off to bed with you both," Irene said, and didn't mean to sound so sternly matriarchal, but she had just about enough of them upsetting her favorite couple.

"Irene just sent Myka's parents to their room," Bridget whispered and anyone who heard her cracked up. Then she inched closer to Myka and teased: "You two better behave or there'll be no more dessert."

Myka was so frustrated with her parents that her innermost thought simply slipped of her lips. "Oh, I am getting dessert; I promise you that!"

"I don't think we're talking brownies here," Bridget said to Sarah as Myka returned to Helena's side.

* * *

"Good job, Ms. Donovan," Irene said of the doctored picture.

"Sure, but how did you know….? I mean, why now?" the techie asked and decided her new side project was going to be building Helena's history in picture form.

"Matter of time with those two," Irene answered and started to help Leena clear off the table. Officer Bell immediately shot from her seat to assist.

"Well, this took the spotlight off of _last night_ ," Claudia said to Eileen who was guiltily glad of that.

* * *

"I'll leave these for you to look at," Sarah said of the maternity clothes.

"Are you okay?" Bridget asked Myka, staring right at her because she knew Myka's first response was always that she was. She squeezed her friend's hand. "What can I do to help?" the banker asked.

"Take them home with you?" Myka said and smiled.

"I don't think Irene will let them out of their room. But, I will do the next best thing. I'll take them out to lunch tomorrow and run them around the park, to tire them out," Bridget offered.

The thought of Warren and Jeannie running free at Wells Corp flashed through Myka's mind and she agreed. "Thank you, Bridget," Myka said as she said good night.

"I'm just going to say this, Wells," Bridget said because she reverted to surnames when she drank. "I didn't think Irene had it in her, you know, to be so strict and all because, I mean, look at you, but your kids are going to be the most well behaved children in all of Manhattan!"

Helena dark eyes narrowed and she glared at the woman, but Bridget was impervious to the stare down. "Enjoy dessert," she said and bade her hostess goodnight.

"I do not want that woman near our child until she's in college," Helena whispered to Myka.

"Oh, I think college would be the worst time for Bridget to meet her," Myka laughed and leaned into Helena, a motion that always calmed her.

* * *

The rest of the gang said good night and the couple stood alone in the dimly lit hallway. "I'm sorry, Helena," Myka said, in what seemed to be life time of apologies for her parents.

"Darling, you no need to apologize for someone else's behavior," Helena said, pulling Myka into her.

"They can't seem to stop talking. They mean well, but they just don't hear themselves," she said and Helena knew she was talking from years of experience.

Helena was caught between wanting to embrace Myka and also wanting to march upstairs and slap her in-laws for putting the burden on their lack of social awareness squarely on Myka's shoulders. She chose a third option.

"Myka, those two people up there, for better or worse, brought you into this world. And for that fact alone, I will always be in their debt. Neither words nor deeds can injure us because, in spite of our love for them, we are the ones in charge. We will endure, educate, and guide them. But I will not allow you to bear the weight of their witlessness," Helena explained thoughtfully.

It wasn't just the words that Helena spoke, but the tenderness of her voice and the definite tone she used that assured Myka that finally, she didn't have to put the world first. The dim light on the wall reflected off the teary jade pools that stared lovingly at Helena. "You are the most wonderful person in the world, Helena. And you're all mine," Myka said, leaning in to lay her head on her wife's shoulders.

"Yes, and I'm wearing a teddy," Helena reminded Myka, who pulled back and grabbed Helena by the hand, swiftly making their way to the bedroom.

Making the best of the situation, Myka pushed Helena down on the bed. "Be quiet, my parents are home," she said, pulling the blouse over Helena's head.

It took Helena a minute to catch on. "Oh," she said, finally getting that this was pretend.

Warm hands moved over Helena's ribcage and cupped her breasts as Helena moaned softly. Myka pulled at the straps until Helena's bare flesh was exposed and vulnerable to her kisses. Myka stood up and with one swift pull; she released Helena of her clothes. Lying next to her, she pulled the duvet over them and began the slow buildup of tension in Helena's core.

In spite of the way the evening started and even though her parents were right next door to her, Myka never gave them another thought. She didn't care if they heard the screams of her wife being pushed over the edge into fiery pleasure.

Myka finally unburdened herself of being Warren and Jeannie's daughter and was totally satisfied in being herself.


	42. Changed for Good

**Changed For Good**

The Berings may have woken up at their usual time the next day, but there was nothing typical about their morning. Their tour guide was waiting for them as soon as they set foot on the grand entrance floor. Taking a cue from Irene the night before, Bridget gently barked orders at the parents and told them she had a day planned for them. She did let them have breakfast.

"Don't you have one of those high powered jobs?" Warren asked as he scrambled to finish his scrambled eggs and toast that Leena had waiting.

"Do I need walking shoes?" Jeannie asked, grabbing a pair of flats.

"Yes, I have an incredibly high-powered job; thanks for asking. And my driver will be taking us around so don't worry about walking too much," Bridget explained.

"We wanted to see Myka and Helena at work," the mother said, wiping her mouth with a napkin as Bridget got behind them and motioned for them to move, move, move.

"We'll try to squeeze it in," Bridget answered and went into the hallway with the parents who scurried now to get jackets.

Myka and Helena were coming down the stairs when they saw the couple rushing. "I thought it was just a dream. A beautiful dream," Myka said of her friend's offer.

"Oh, hi girls," Jeannie said. "Bridget has offered to take us around the City today. At least, I think that's what she said. I hope we're not being kidnapped," she whispered to her daughter who thought the investment banker was one of those _wild_ girls she always warned Myka to stay away from.

"Remember, I shall pay no ransom," Helena said out of the side of her mouth to Bridget.

"I wish that detective was taking us," Warren whispered in a low roar. "At least she's got a gun."

"You feeling okay there, Brit?" Bridget questioned Helena.

"Oh, good! A new moniker, as if the others weren't offensive enough," Helena moaned of the casual way Bridget spoke.

"Remember what she is doing today," Myka said through tightened lips and Helena forced a smile of pleasantness on her face.

"Dessert agrees with you," the friend said to Myka, teasingly pulling on a long strand of curly hair. She was urging the parents to keep moving to the door when they heard Warren comment to his wife -

"Well, someone was not feeling well last night. Did you hear all that moaning?"

Myka tried to close the door quickly, but not before Bridget pulled down her sunglasses over her nose and looked right at her friend with a Cheshire like grin. "Oh, do tell, Mr. Bering, do tell."

Myka laughed and closed the door, grateful to her friend and only slightly concerned for her parents.

* * *

In the meantime, Leena was updating Helena about the _HG Wells Museum_ opening which had been pushed back to accommodate the Sullivan-Donovan wedding. "And right over here," Helena was pointing on a blueprint, "Is where I would like the Amelia Brown exhibit to be." Myka smiled at how excited Gloria would be to see her ancestor's writings on display. "Nurse Brown has graciously offered us whatever materials she has to put on display," Helena was saying when Myka came up beside her and looked at the draft.

"A wedding, a museum opening," Leena noted. "You guys are going to be very busy."

Leena was right. There was a lot to keep the couple occupied, and that was aside from preparing for their baby's arrival!

* * *

The Bering's visit, while a new level of aggravating for Helena, also highlighted that her particular circumstance always came with challenges. Myka's parents would naturally want to know who Helena's parents were, and Irene had done an excellent job of filling in a gap, but there was so much more. The reality was – that in spite of the fact that Helena Wells was one of the most written about celebrities of the 21st century, only a handful of people knew who she really was. Helena accepted that, until she met Gloria Brown, a woman with strong feelings for her long passed great-great grandmother. History had robbed Amelia Brown of her fair share of the spotlight and Helena's display at the museum would try to make up for that, but what about Gloria? Was Helena robbing her of an opportunity to know how truly wonderful this woman was?

"I think I will tell her," Helena said to Myka at work that day.

"Tell who what?" Myka said, looking up from her papers. She was having trouble pulling into her desk as closely as she used to.

"I think I will tell Gloria Brown the truth…about me," Helena said and waited to read Myka's expression.

 _Myka pushed back in her chair and thought about her wife's statement. The only person who knew other than their small band of friends, many of whom had witnessed Helena's rebronzing, was Leena. They had sat her down one day and shared it with her because they agreed she needed to. As was her nature, the intuitive accepted what she was told as fact. She could tell by the couple's auras that everything they said was true. She was the only person they knew who hadn't struggled with the impossibility of it._

"How do you think she'll respond?" was Myka's first question.

"She's a woman of science. She'll question it, no doubt, but I think she'll trust in the probability of it being real," Helena said.

Then Myka's protective legal nature kicked in. "With each person that knows, Helena, there is a greater chance of someone else finding out that we don't want to know."

"I have given though to that, but I believe Gloria will present no threat," Helena said and her assumption was based on how she felt about Amelia.

"What will you gain? What will she gain? " Myka asked, methodically thinking it through.

"God, you're sexy when you're defending me," Helena said, staring at how serious Myka's expression was. Myka blushed, but insisted that Helena answer the questions. "Well, I gain a real connection to someone I knew. Gloria is like a conduit to my past in a way. And I certainly am one to hers. She gains first-hand knowledge of what a wonderful woman Amelia was."

"I think we should ask Irene," Myka said, because there was simply no resource for something like this.

"I expect her to be there," Helena said of the woman whom both relied on.

Myka knew a dozen reasons why this wasn't a good idea and yet, she could sense that this was important to Helena. So, in spite of her legal expertise and cautious nature when it came to her wife, she agreed. Irene was not as easily sold on the idea.

The two went down to her office to pitch the proposal. Sitting in front of Irene's desk, Helena explained her thinking on the matter.

"Of course, I should have no say in the matter," Irene started, but before Helena could agree, she added: "But, you are in my office sharing this before you're actually doing it, so…."

"Must you drag this out?" Helena asked because she was used to acting on something as soon as she thought of it.

Irene wasn't dragging it out on purpose; she was giving it serious thought. She may not have been as trusting as Myka was, but she had grown fond of the nurse. It still didn't mean she was rushing to include her in the very inner circle.

"Let me play Devil's Advocate for a minute…," Irene implored.

"Perfect type casting," Helena retorted. If she was going to be delayed in her actions, she was going to make remarks.

"…..And ask you this," Irene said, ignoring the comment. "…what if she tells someone?"

"We'll threaten her," Helena explained, because in her experience the Wells-threat carried a great deal of weight.

"Oh, well as long as you've thought it all the way through," Irene chastised Helena for her flippant remark.

"Did I mention I want you to be there …in silence?" Helena asked, getting frustrated at the thwarting of her plan.

"Helena, Irene makes a good point," Myka said gently and drew the " _Et tu, Brute_?" expression on Helena's face.

"Do not agree with the woman; it only encourages her," Helena explained as if they were talking about the class clown.

"Helena has thought this through, as far as why she wants to tell Gloria. Do you really think Gloria's reaction will present a problem?" Myka asked Irene, trying to be on Helena's side and quell her own fears at the same time.

Irene took in a deep breath and gave earnest thought to what was at stake here. She had to admit that the woman possessed a wonderful nature and that she had never felt so comfortable, so quickly, with anyone else she had met. Still, she didn't want Gloria's charisma to blind her to what would always be her first task; protecting Helena. She finally decided what the solution would be.

"Okay, Helena. I trust your reasons for wanting to tell her and I will support them," Irene said and Helena uttered – "Finally!" Myka sensed there was more to that decision.

"You do?" the lawyer questioned.

"Nurse Brown is in our employ now. While we can't guarantee that we can hold her to the promise I'm sure you're going to ask her to commit to, I can at the very least keep an eye on her," the HR Director said.

"Then it's settled," Helena said, rising from her seat.

"When?" Irene asked and Helena looked at Myka.

"Perhaps after your parents leave," the Brit said, thinking they had enough on their plate. "We'll ask her to bring some of Amelia's things to dinner and we'll tell her then."

Myka glanced at Irene and smiled and the woman could see concern in those jade pools. Irene's stern expression never changed, but she did say – "I think it will be alright," - to Myka before they left.

Rehearsing the possibilities, Irene sat at her desk and uttered; " _Thanks so much for coming, Gloria. By the way, I'm actually the real HG Wells from 1866 and how are you feeling_?" Irene had become increasingly protective of her friend, perhaps because she could see Helena letting her guard down. The Brit had to in order to live a normal life with Myka. While Irene's original Oneness with Helena may have been deactivated by the Warehouse, there was still a residual flame.

* * *

The couple returned to Myka's office and were only there a minute when the Berings burst through the door. "They were too quick," Millie apologized as she ran in steps behind the excited couple.

"We are having the best time!" Jeanne all but yelled, as she and her husband plopped themselves on Myka's couch.

"Sorry we couldn't wait for the intros, but we have to be back downstairs in fifteen minutes," Warren said and Jeannie nodded and added – "12:30 on the dot!"

"Or what?" Helena asked, because she detested time schedules.

"Or…..," Jeannie said, but looked at Warren to finish the thought.

"Or….," he said, picking up the cue, "….I don't know. All I know is Bridget said to be done in fifteen."

Myka, Helena, and Millie all raised their eyebrows and exchanged glances at that remark. "Are you having fun?" Myka asked.

"The best!" Warren said. "She took us to Madison Square Garden and I met some of the Knicks," he said astonished.

"Dad, you're not a Knicks fan, are you?" Myka asked.

"No, of course not!" the man responded in all seriousness.

"You know your father is a _Nuggets_ Fan," Jeannie said just as Bridget walked in.

"Fifth time I've heard that and not once did I make a joke, " she whispered to Millie.

"You're a stronger woman than I am," Millie responded back.

"Is it time to go?" Warren asked when he saw his tour guide and jumped up from his seat. Myka furrowed her brow and stared at the man. She had never seen him move so fast. For anyone.

"It's okay, Warren. You have a few more minutes, but then we're off," Bridget said and sounded just like a second grade teacher on a school trip.

"We're going to Times Square!" Jeannie said all excited.

"Mom, we're in Times Square," Myka corrected her. "My office is in Times Square."

"Oh, not this one," Jeannie said as if there were two. "The one with Broadway shows."

"Anyone have to go the bathroom?" Bridget called out and the parents both shot up and went outside to find the restrooms.

"I'll show you," Millie said afraid of letting them loose in the hallways.

Bridget saw the look of amazement on Myka's face. And right underneath it, she saw the hurt. "Now Myka, don't get your khopes up," she said, noticing the death glare coming from Helena. She, too, knew her wife was hurt by how compliant the Berings were being under Bridget's care.

"Put that away, you'll hurt someone," Bridget said to Helena about her glaring gaze.

"Hopes up about what?" Myka asked politely.

"They're just acting like this because I'm a novelty and because, well truthfully, I scare them. Parents are always more polite to our friends than they are to us," Bridget said, hoping that was a plausible explanation. Bridget's home was always filled with friends and her parents were like the neighborhood parents to all of them.

"Thanks, Bridge," Myka said, but the discomfort was palpable and everyone left in the room could feel it.

This meant Bridget hadn't convinced Myka, which meant Helena knew it, which meant Helena would want to see Bridget in the hallway.

Helena conveyed ALL of that with her eyes and the investment banker, who had studied Helena's body language in enough meetings, read it accurately. Helena kissed Myka goodbye and went outside. Then, Bridget said she'd get the Berings back right after dinner and bade her friend farewell. If Bridget walked into that office as the one in charge, she didn't walk out the same way. Now, she was more like the second grader being sent to the Principal's office.

A really scary Principal.

Millie watched Helena pace the floor waiting for Bridget to appear. The banker quietly closed the door behind her on the way out of Myka's office – the way someone does when they really would rather not be noticed. Millie had never seen Bridget slink across a floor, but that's almost what happened when she walked towards Helena who stood there with her arms crossed.

"Helena," Bridget started – not out of fear of the Brit, in spite of how intimidating she looked, but because of how badly she felt for Myka.

Helena didn't understand what was happening – why the Berings seemed so compliant with Bridget, yet couldn't muster an ounce of that with their own daughter, but she understood Myka was hurt.

"Parents are weird, okay and the Berings are no exception," Bridget tried to explain. Helena kept pacing, trying to decide who should take care of this problem.

"I will…..," Helena started, but wasn't sure which of the many ways of handling this situation, she should state next. "I will...," she said again and Millie thought she sounded like a sputtering engine ….just before it backfires and makes a loud noise.

"They couldn't put up with me for more than a day," Bridget said, hoping to soothe the Brit's nerves.

"Who of us could?" Helena snapped and said sorry, but also pointed out – that wasn't the point.

Then Millie – in an attempt to help – actually did something she saw in a movie, or was it a Saturday Night Live skit, or was it ….. ? She coughed Irene's name out loud. Except it was more like a high pitched sneeze, that expelled the HR Director's name instead of 'achoo'. It was so poorly executed that even Bridget looked at her curiously.

Helena was running out of time as the Berings both emerged from the bathrooms, ready to begin their afternoon expedition. In the cheeriest voices Helena had ever heard them speak, they asked if Bridget was ready. Helena's usually way of handling this would have been to accompany the Berings on the elevator ride down where she would have gone up one side of them and then down the other until Bridget could collect their ashes in a baggie.

But, Myka frowned on Helena causing people to spontaneously combust. So, she did the only other thing she could think of. In fact, she was certain a tiny voice in her head gave her the idea. She pointed directly at the couple and crooked her finger for them to follow.

"I believe you're making an unscheduled stop," Bridget smiled at them and bounced on her heels as if she was looking at something on the ceiling. The parents looked at Bridget, whom they had strangely become attached to over the course of the morning, and then looked at their daughter-in-law.

Millie watched as the couple shrugged their shoulders and followed Helena down the hallway. "I hope this won't take long," Jeannie said and Helen threw her head back in total frustration. Millie grabbed the phone and asked Gloria if she could come to her desk.

"It's the southern charm," Bridget said in her natural drawl that rarely got out.

"That will make a nice epitaph," Millie said, as she sat back down.

* * *

Helena pointed to the couch outside Irene's office and the two parents sat down without question. Helena walked into Irene's office, snapped her fingers at the poor man in charge of payroll who jumped and left.

"You have a way of rescheduling my schedule," Irene said, unaware of what the visit was about.

"I am going to bring Myka's parents in here in a minute," the CEO said, marching back and forth in front of Irene's desk. "I will sit them down there. Do not, under any circumstances, sit with them doing that personal touchy feeling thing you insist works, which it does not by the way, but that's not the point," Helena ranted.

"Of course," Irene said, as if she understood what her mission was. She did not.

"Then, you will explain to them that they're unnatural affection for Bridget must stop now," Helena said, hoping Irene could fill in the Grand Canyon size gaps in her explanation.

"Their affection …is unnatural?" Irene questioned, her mind racing to translate this into logic. Or English.

Helena drew a deep breath, as if just remembering whom she was dealing with – and what it took to explain things, as if the woman was feeble. "Imagine if I were to suddenly become quite fond of Nurse Brown. When I saw her, I offered her a warm welcome and gracious accommodations," Helena tried.

"Yes…..?" Irene said slowly, hoping to get at least a couple of more pieces of this latest puzzle.

"You would feel out of sorts, jealous even and worse yet, my transfer of affections would hurt you," Helena said, taking the circuitous route as usual.

Irene could tell that was all the pieces she was going to get because Helena was staring at her as if to say – " _Okay? You got it now_?" Helena flopped in the chair, expressing her total exasperation at how long this was taking the HR Director.

"You want me to speak to them," Irene stated even though she was unsure about the exact topic. "About….what….they're doing to Myka …." The woman had learned to feed Helena the words slowly, thereby, testing her patience and causing her to spill the solution.

It never failed.

"Get them to be as nice to their own daughter as they are mustering up for Ms. Cummings, or so help me, I will strangle them!" Helena demanded.

"This is …a tall order, Helena. You know how we tend to be polite around people who don't know us, but to our own families…," Irene foolishly shared.

"Excuse me?" Helena said, which was _Wellsian_ for – "Do not tell me how it can't be done!"

"Let me get them," Irene said, thinking they were safer in her office anyway.

"No, I'll send them in. You have five minutes to get through to them, or I will handle it," Helena threatened. With that, Helena swung open the door and went outside. "She wants to see you," she said to her in-laws and pointed towards the inner office.

"Mrs. Frederic wants to see us?" Jeannie asked confused as she got up.

"We don't really have time," Warren noted. "Bridget is taking us to lunch and then the matinee of _Wicked_."

Warren was just about to get a dose of wicked up close and personal, but Irene beckoned them to come into her office and caused him to miss his chance.

Oh, and saved his life.


	43. Home Run

**And this was going to be the shorter installment! Not.  
Many thanks for those of you still on the journey.**

* * *

 **Home Run**

It was the first time in all the years Irene worked at Wells Corp that she felt it necessary to lock her office door. She knew Helena would make good on her promise of giving her only five minutes to fix this problem. She smiled hesitantly at the couple and asked them to sit down. She paused momentarily now, wondering if she should sit close to them or behind her desk. Helena's words came back to her and she moved to her chair using her desk as a buffer.

"We're on kind of a tight schedule," Warren said, as courteously as he could.

"Bridget's taking us to lunch and a show. You know, at first I didn't like this idea," Jeannie started to inform Irene.

"I wanted the Detective to take us around because she's got a gun. Can't be too careful in this City," Warren said and Irene realized the man had no idea that the most perilous thing to him was standing on the other side of her office door.

Irene's mind raced to find a way to get through to these people, whom she knew for a fact to be well meaning, but clueless at times.

"We…would love to stay….," Jeannie said, looking at Warren to back her up.

"We don't want to keep Bridget waiting," he added, hoping Irene wouldn't mind if they left.

They both liked Irene even if she was bossy at times. They could always tell that she cared deeply for their daughter and Helena, so they wanted to remain polite, but this woman's timing was terrible. "So, we'll stop by….," Jeannie said and Warren got up out of his seat.

Irene knew that she had to keep them there, at least for four minutes more. She was caught between a rock and Helena and she knew which direction she had to go. "You can't go out there!" she said, standing up and sounding sterner than she planned.

Warren stopped in his tracks and turned to look at his wife as if to ask – _what is up with this woman_. "Well, maybe we could stay a couple of minutes," Jeannie said to him because the Berings prided themselves on being polite, even to people who were frustrating them. It was from years of being in retail. The man sat down again, forcing a smile on his face.

"Mr. and Mrs. Bering…..," Irene said, taking her seat again and folding her hands on her desk, "…sometimes we….( _no, that won't work_ )…You know how as parents we…( _oh God, they'll never understand that)_ …Our children always look to us …..( _They have blank looks of their faces_ )." It seemed that no matter which way Irene considered trying to get through to the Berings, it wasn't going to be effective. It was so unlike Irene not to know how to communicate her message, that even she was surprised. She finally threw her hands up – literally – and leaned over closer.

"There isn't anything Helena wouldn't do for your daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Bering," Irene started. "If she even senses that something is bothering Myka, Helena will go to any length to rectify the situation. And if she can't fix it," Irene said slowly and made sure they were looking at her, "…..she will have it removed."

"Oh, that's very sweet, but…," Jeannie said and Irene swore she heard someone call out – _STRIKE ONE_.

Irene pursed her lips and looked at the clock. "Mrs. Bering," she said hoping to divide and conquer, " Do you remember what it was like when you were pregnant? "

"Oh, if this is lady talk, I can wait outside," Warren said, not wanting to hear what followed. _STRIKE TWO._

"Maybe we could get coffee before we leave," Jeannie suggested because she knew if Warren got up one more time, he was leaving. "Let's go," he said and Irene gave it one last try.

"Helena will kill you if you go outside," Irene said and got their attention.

"What? No, she won't," Jeannie said because it sounded so preposterous.

"She does have a temper," Warren pointed out, remembering back to when Helena spoke with him. "Did I ever tell you the time….."

Irene was afraid she was running out of time.

 _Bases loaded, bottom of the ninth, two outs, and one strike away from losing the World Series. (In other words – pretty dire)._

"Helena sensed that your enthusiasm over being with Bridget might have bothered Myka. Helena has one rule about such things – they must cease and desist. So, you must now show as much enthusiasm about doing something with Myka and Helena, as you are about going out with Bridget. I would suggest that you make it sincere and convincing because I promise you, if Helena suspects it's not working, she will hold you to task until you get it right – no matter how long that takes," Irene said practically all in one breath.

"Myka is…jealous?" Jeannie finally asked Irene - mother to mother, and the HR Director could tell that possibility made Jeannie sad.

"They're always our kids," Irene answered and it was like waiting to see which side of the fence her final swing at bat was going to land.

Warren couldn't figure out what the big deal was, but thankfully, Jeannie was catching on. Myka was always the one who hid her feelings, so it was just plausible to Jeannie that what Irene was proposing could be true. "We should take them out to dinner tonight, Warren," Jeannie said in a moment of assertiveness that Irene wished she'd try more often.

"Okay," Warren said because underneath the cluelessness, he cared a great deal about his children.

Irene stole a peek at the clock – three minutes and eight seconds. IT'S A GRAND SLAM!

* * *

Millie's urgent call to Gloria brought the nurse quickly to the 16th floor where she was simply pointed in the direction of the pacing Brit outside Irene's office. "Anything I need to know?" Gloria asked Millie and Bridget.

"She's in lethal mode," Bridget quipped.

The nurse had no idea what that meant, but she understood the people in this building had their own way of expressing their thoughts, especially about Helena.

"Oh, good!" Helena said when the nurse approached. "We might have need of your area of expertise."

Gloria looked around and the only one who looked like they needed medical assistance was the CEO. Her ivory skin was blooming with red from her neck up to her cheeks. Her breathing was audible as she paced outside of Irene's office. Gloria looked over at Irene's assistant, Sandy, but she sat with her eyes glued to her computer screen for fear of catching Helena's attention.

"Who will need it?" Gloria asked and gently grabbed Helena's wrist to have her sit down. She resisted at first, but the nurse didn't let go and sat down herself on the couch. Helena wanted to point out her cheekiness, but the nurse was actually feeling the CEO's pulse. It didn't take Helena long to catch on to the woman's slight maneuver and she fixed her dark eyes on the woman.

"I am capable of taking my own pulse, thank you," Helena said, more insulted that the woman thought she could be cunning.

"I didn't want to interrupt you," Gloria smiled. "Now, what's this all about?"

"If Irene does not get through to those two dolts, they will need your _less than sly_ maneuvers to fix them," Helena ranted and stood back up. She pushed up the sleeve on her gray three quarter length jacket that covered her black lace and gray dress to look at her Rolex watch. "She has two minutes."

Gloria had seen Helena like this before and could easily tell she was in protective mode. "They upset Myka?" she astutely asked.

"Don't they always?" Helena retorted. "You have no idea how many times I've spoken directly to them. Her father especially, and each time, they seem to be actually comprehending the words."

Gloria got a clear picture of what was going on now. Whatever the Berings did, they had upset Myka and were sent to Helena's _Fixer_ as a courtesy before she took matters into her own hands. "Nice of you to give them a chance," the nurse noted as she straightened out her white skirt that she wore with a multi colored smock.

"Myka…..," her boss started, without realizing that the real subtlety the nurse possessed was in getting her to talk. The CEO took a deep breath and sat back down and said, "…Doesn't like it when I ….(swallow) ….. show people the error of their ways. She believes it better when it comes from within."

Gloria nodded her head. "She makes a very good point."

"Yes, well I have a way of motivating people to dig down and fix whatever it is they need to do in order to make things right," Helena said and looked at her watch. It was almost time to give Gloria a demonstration of that skill.

* * *

Inside, Irene was putting the finishing touches on something she liked to call _– Ways to save Myka's parents_. "I know a great place for Italian food," Irene was saying when Warren complained that he found New York food too spicy and longed for some good _American_ food, even though he was here all of twenty-four hours.

"Remember, Warren," Jeannie said, having received the message, "The food isn't as important as spending time with Myka and Helena. We may not be back before the baby's born. Let's make it an enjoyable dinner."

Warren listened to his wife of many years and nodded. "Thank you, Irene," Jeannie said and hugged her. "You're a good friend to our girls."

Irene was afraid if Helena every heard them refer to her as _one of their girls_ , she'd lose it. But that was a problem for another day. As soon as the five minutes were up, Irene's office door flew open. Helena stood there, bent bobby pin in hand and said of tumbler locks – "Well, thank heaven these haven't changed." The Cheshire like grin on her face was directed right at Irene.

"Oh, Helena!" Jeannie said upon seeing her daughter-in-law. "Warren and I want to take you and Myka to dinner tonight. We're leaving tomorrow and can't go without taking you two out."

Helena had been pretty sure Irene could talk sense into them, but she wasn't at all sure she could get them to sound so enthusiastic. Warren approached Helena and gave her a tight squeeze around the shoulders; an action that Helena abhorred. Irene's arched eyebrow conveyed that lifelong lesson she always seemed to be teaching her friend – ' _Play nice_.'

"That…will be wonderful," Helena said flatly, as she straightened out her jacket, wrinkled by the embrace.

"We'll go ask Myka," Jeanne said and the couple strolled down to her office. Helena stepped back outside, Irene joining her as they watched the couple. "Bridget, give us a minute. We want to ask Myka something," they heard the twosome say and then they asked Millie if could see Myka. Even from down the hallway, Helena could hear how impressed Myka was that her parents wanted to be with just the two of them later that evening. "Okay, sweetheart, we'll see you later," Jeannie said and kissed Myka goodbye. Then the couple waved to Helena and went on their way with Bridget. "We have to be back in time to take the girls to dinner," Warren explained to Bridget.

"They're leaving tomorrow," Irene whispered to her boss, whose head snapped back to look at her.

"You got them to do that?" Helena asked amazed.

"No, they already have the tickets," Irene answered truthfully.

"I would have doubled your bonus, had it been your doing," Helena said seriously.

"Oh, you'll reward me, don't worry," Irene said and returned to her office, leaving her boss standing in the hallway before she could respond.

"She is _really_ so annoying," Helena said to Gloria, who watched the charade play out.


	44. Playing Favorites

**Playing Favorites**

Gloria cast her doubt that Helena meant what she was saying about Irene. "I've never seen such devotion," the woman said candidly. In spite of the truthfulness of that statement, Helena shot her a warning look anyway. "Well, it looks like you won't be needing my services," the nurse said, getting up off the couch. "Thanks to Irene."

"She gets it right…," Helena conceded and quickly added, "…On a rare occasion." Gloria noted how much Helena seemed to derive from these tete a tete's with her HR Director. "…when given explicit directions," the CEO added because she didn't often let go of these things.

"Oh, of course," Gloria said, letting her boss know she didn't buy it for a moment. A sin Helena would forgive because she remembered why she wanted to see the nurse.

"You're invited to dinner tomorrow night. Be there at 8 sharp. Irene will be there, as well. Are you allergic to any foods that we should know about?" Helena asked as they walked together.

"Oh, no, none. And thank you for inviting me. What should I bring?" Gloria asked because she believed it was the polite thing to do.

Helena approached Myka's office door and looked back before entering. "I strongly suggest an open mind, Ms. Brown."

Millie looked at the nurse as she tried to decipher that quip. "You'll be okay with Irene there," the secretary assured her.

"I'm not worried a bit," Gloria laughed.

"Really?" Millie asked in all seriousness. "Well, that's good, I guess," she surmised as there was no sense in being anxious.

"She's not the Big Bad Wolf," the nurse said, amazed that Helena commanded fear.

"Not anymore," Millie said and resumed her duties.

Gloria knew of Helena's reputation long before she even considered taking the job. She knew what the press said and she knew what people said. And she had now spent enough time with the woman to know she may have a tough exterior in certain areas, but she had a heart of gold.

* * *

"Hello,you," Helena said as she reentered Myka's office. "I was down here and thought I'd come in and see my favorite employee."

"Ms. Wells, what did we tell you about playing favorites with the staff?" Myka said after she greeted Helena with the same phrase.

"You told me I must not play favorites as it might lower moral and incite claims of preferentialism," Helena repeated verbatim, sitting on the edge of the desk near Myka.

"Yes, good," Myka teased as she feigned a stern demeanor.

"You didn't say I couldn't just …..play," Helena said, leaning down and kissing Myka's waiting lips.

"And do you play like this with all your staff members?" Myka asked in a breathy tone, savoring the smell of Helena's Chanel No. 5 and the sweet taste of her lipstick.

"Just my favorite ones," Helena replied in a sultry voice that dripped with intention. She leaned in and ran her long finger up Myka's leg from her knee to her thigh.

"I think you just went full circle," the lawyer said of Helena's wording.

"Full… circle…. you say?" Helena said, pushing her hand farther up and began making that motion with her finger.

"How do you do …that?" Myka asked, her voice quivering as her arms grabbed the chair and she pushed back to allow Helena access.

"Do what, Darling?" Helena inquired playfully as she made good on her intention.

"Get me…so…excited…..so…damn…OH, GOD, HELENA!...," Myka squealed as her body responded to her wife as quickly as fuel does to fire. Helena bit her lower lip as she continued her deft attention to slowly and agonizingly releasing Myka's tension. Helena loved how good she was at this.

Myka's breathing was labored as she grabbed tissues and gave them to Helena. "I will need a shower," Myka smiled at how vibrantly her body responded.

"I have one in my office," Helena said. "That I let all my _favorites_ use." Myka could hardly talk from the impromptu tryst and gently slapped Helena's leg. She leaned in and kissed Myka gently as she tried to catch her breath.

There was a time when Myka discouraged open displays of affection in the office with Helena. Now, she was completely open for spontaneous rendezvous.

"My parents…..," Myka gasped, grabbing for a sip of water.

"Never the words one likes to hear after deliciously seducing their daughter ….," Helena teasingly said, putting her hand back on Myka's knee.

Myka almost spilled her water and Helena stopped. "Said you agreed to dinner tonight before they leave tomorrow?" Myka finally said, making a full sentence.

"Yes, I did. Wasn't that thoughtful of them…," Helena stated.

"To ask us to dinner?" Myka filled in.

"I was going to say - leave tomorrow, but yes, invite us to dinner is nice, too," Helena said mischievously.

"Yeah, that was nice," Myka said and Helena could tell that she was pleased with the invite.

 _Now, if they would just behave during dinner._

"And they want to pick the place, is that okay?" Myka asked, looking up at the most beautiful woman in the world.

"As long as you are there," Helena answered sweetly and made her wife utter – 'Ohhh.'

* * *

That night, Helena arranged for Steve to drive the four of them in a car to the restaurant that the parents had chosen. They had a whirlwind of an afternoon with their tour guide, but went home and napped before getting ready to take the couple out to dinner.

"This must have set you back a pretty penny," Warren said when he saw the brand new Cadillac ELR outside.

"A little," Helena smiled and didn't dare tell her father-in-law her plan.

"Where did you…" Myka was going to ask, but Helena was directing everyone where to sit. Warren sat in the front passenger seat. "Glad to see you bought American," he said to his daughter-in-law.

"Who wouldn't?" Helena answered and the human lie detector looked right at her. She smiled back.

"Where are we going, Daddy?" Myka asked so Steve would know where to go.

"Well, I thought we'd go someplace where I could treat you to a good steak," Warren answered and Helena prayed he didn't mean a steak house. "So we made reservations at _Gotham Bar and Grill_ because it sounded like a real New York place that would know how to grill a steak."

The fact that Mr. Bering chose his eateries by their name, and not their menu, didn't surprise Myka or Helena, but even Steve knew the three star restaurant was known for its avant-garde dishes that reflected the diversity of the Greenwich Village neighborhood. Variety in Myka's father's diet meant French fries instead of mashed.

"Gee, Mr. Bering," Steve was about to say when he caught the look in the rearview mirror. "That's a great choice," he quickly recovered.

Myka, too, was concerned that her father would be greatly disappointed when he looked at the menu and saw Yellowfin Tuna Tartare and Petrossian Caviar, but no steak. She needn't have concerned herself at all. She looked over at Helena who was in the process of texting the Maître d' announcing they would be dining there and to have four new menus in place with the following items listed.

There were rewards to complying with Helena's requests.

Twenty minutes later, they were greeted by Jaquez who told Mr. Bering his name was _John_. Patrons turned their heads to look at the easily recognizable couples. Then they were seated at the best table, but because Mrs. Bering read you never accept the first seating, her husband insisted that they move. Jaquez looked at Helena, who nodded so slightly, no one noticed, except the man that complied with the request.

"I read that in AARP magazine," Jeannie whispered, as if sharing a safely guarded tip with her daughter-in-law.

"I'll have to remember that," Helena smiled and Myka squeezed her gently to thank her for going along.

Jeannie said she had to go to the ladies room and Myka got up to accompany her. This gave Helena an opportunity to speak with Warren, who was eyeing the menu with a very satisfied look on his face. "I wonder if these are American cows," he said out loud as he looked at his one of a kind menu of beef selections. "Now, don't look at the price," he said to Helena, "This is our treat, remember." Not only was the menu doctored, so were the prices.

"Will do," Helena assured him and then decided she should share her thoughts. "Mr. Bering," she tried, but that sent Warren into a speech about how he wished she'd call him _Dad_ or whatever English people call their fathers, or at the very least, start calling him Warren on a regular basis.

"Warren," Helena attempted to say nonchalantly, now that they were under the careful gaze of onlookers. "Myka is just thrilled that you asked us to dinner. It's truly the simple things she appreciates," the Brit shared and by simple, she meant even he could do it.

"You know, Helena, I remember the talk you and I had when I visited awhile back. You pointed out how I should appreciate what a great girl Myka is and I do," the man said sincerely. Helena was pleased to hear that he remembered their conversation. The issue Helena had with the couple was that they seemed to only be able to look at things from their own point of view, never their daughter's. And in spite of the man's attempt to comply with Helena's suggestion, his point of view was still somewhat fixated on themselves. "It's been hard for us," he started and Helena all but moaned. "We got through the wedding and people wanting us to sign the magazine's that had your pictures on them," he lamented taking a long drink of water and asking Helena if she thought New York water was safe.

"IS THERE A POINT?" Helena said, grasping her clothe napkin in a death grip, and immediately noticed her tone caught people's attention.

"Sure," Warren said, thinking her question meant she was truly interested in hearing his thoughts.

Helena shook her head from side to side to rid them of the terrible thoughts that kept popping up about what she wanted to do to Warren.

"We're here for you both," Warren said and really believed he was sharing something new.

Helena wished that Irene was there to interpret this illogical stream of consciousness, but she was on her own. "Thank you?" she guessed and Warren smiled broadly.

"Now, before Myka returns, Warren," Helena said softly. "Let's remember that this evening is really about Myka enjoying your company. We will, unfortunately, have to do this the old fashioned way," she explained.

"What does that mean?" Warren inquired.

"Well, if by chance, you venture onto a topic Myka finds displeasing, I will give you a signal; a look. You will stop your train of thought before the wreck," Helena explained.

"Why not just give me an electrical shock?" Warren laughed.

"I asked, but the establishment refused to allow me to wire your chairs with conductors," Helena said seriously. "Would have been so much easier," she mused.

Warren suddenly became aware of the brooding look on Helena's face and considered for a second that she wasn't joking. "You…you're kidding, right?" he asked, figuring it was her British sense of humor he didn't get.

"I want to see her smiling tonight. The way for us to accomplish this, is by thinking of Myka first. Not hard, really," said the woman who spent her day thinking about Myka.

"Sure," he said and wondered if Helena was part mad scientist.

Myka returned to the table with her mother and put her hand on Helena and asked if everything was okay. "We had a lovely chat while you were gone," Helena assured her. The lawyer leaned over and kissed her wife, while the parents looked over the menu.

"I think I'll have steak," Warren finally said of his several selections of beef.

The food was ordered and enjoyed, and for the most part, the parents kept the focus on Myka, just as Helena suggested. Jeannie was aware of how Helena rarely took her gaze off Myka and how she had never seen her daughter happier. Warren only veered off topic once, but caught Helena's glare and immediately got back on course.

Helena had accomplished what she wanted – Myka truly enjoying herself with her parents.

Steve was waiting for them when they emerged from the restaurant, laughing and talking. Warren sat up front and told the driver how good the food was and didn't mind sharing that he left a larger than normal tip because the service was so attentive. Myka listened as her father admired the car and compared it to the cockpit of a plane. "So many things to know," he said, looking at all the instruments.

"Don't worry, Mr. Bering," Steve said when they pulled up outside the Townhouse. "I'll be out to show you how to use it."

Warren's head snapped around to look at his daughter who was now looking at her wife. _Had she just bought her father a car?_

"It's American," Helena offered as her only explanation.

* * *

Her in-laws were so impressed and couldn't thank Helena and Myka enough for the car; even though Myka was just as surprised as they were. As the parents said goodnight and went upstairs, Myka cornered Helena in the hallway by gently pressing into her against the wall, both giggling like school girls that Myka was even farther away now that her stomach was protruding more.

"You bought my father a car?" she whispered as she pushed Helena's hair off her shoulder.

"Well, I thought ….he would like it," the Brit said, losing her thought as she stared into Myka's green eyes. "You don't have to hit me," Helena teased when she felt the light tap.

Then she realized Myka's hands were on her shoulders.

"Was that…?" Helena asked, realizing Myka was leaning on her and she felt the baby kicking.

"Uh huh," Myka said, smiling that now Helena could feel it, too.

Helena shouldn't have been surprised; she knew it was going to happen soon. But the sensation of life – one that was hers and Myka's, brought the Brit to tears. "Myka," she said, her voice cracking as she placed her hand on the exact spot and felt it again.

Hearing the emotion in Helena's voice reduced Myka to tears of joy as she held Helena's hand in place and felt it, too.

"She's a lucky little baby," Myka said as tears streamed down her cheeks. "To have you as her mother."

It was a very poignant moment for the mothers-to-be; one that could have easily be spoiled by Jeannie coming out of her room to tell Myka that they would be coming back as soon as the baby was born.

And she was about to do just that – but she kept getting a shock whenever she put her hand on the bedroom doorknob to come out.


	45. The Look of Love

**The Look of Love**

The couple woke up the next morning to the sound of the parents arguing in the next bedroom. "I'm not touching it, Warren!" they heard Jeannie say over and over. Helena looked at her wife, whose green eyes ping ponged back and forth while she tried to imagine what in the world they were talking about. "You touched it before and it was okay! Never mind, I'll touch it myself," Warren said exasperated.

The next sound – of Mr. Bering yelling in pain – sent Myka and Helena scrambling to put on robes and investigate.

"Daddy? Are you okay?" Myka said through the door.

"Tell your wife this isn't funny!" he yelled back and Jeannie concurred that they failed to see the humor in it.

Myka looked at Helena who was completely perplexed and shrugged her shoulders. It was too early in the morning for even geniuses to venture a guess as to what the Berings were talking about. Myka put her hand on the doorknob and opened the door, much to her father's amazement. "What is going on?" Myka inquired.

"I'll tell you what's going on! Your wife tried to shock us. Are we in one of your experiments?" Remembering what Helena shared at dinner last night about wanting to electrify his chair, Warren simply extrapolated that she chose the doorknob of their room instead.

"Daddy, what are you talking about?" Myka demanded and Jeannie explained that since last night, they had not been able to leave their room because every time they touched the handle of the exit, they received a mild, but definite, jolt.

Helena listened with great intent and when all three Berings cast their eyes on her, she blurted out her inner most thought; "Wish I had thought of that actually," she said with a dreamy-eyed expression.

"Helena! …would... never …do that," Myka said, haltingly. She had to admit, she liked the results of the uninterrupted evening, even if she didn't care for the method.

"Really? Are you sure? She wanted to electrify our chairs last night," Warren said and Jeannie put her hand over her mouth.

"Daddy, why are you saying that?" Myka asked, insisting on an answer.

"She told me!" he said and Jeanne cast a look of disapproval at her daughter-in-law.

"I, may have mentioned….," Helena began, trying to get herself out of this one.

"Well, I was coming down to tell you that we'll be back when my grandchild is born, but not if you're going to keep us caged up," Jeannie said, waiting for the apology.

"Oh!" Helena finally said, three sets of eyes still looking at her for the explanation. "I believe your door is straight above some electrical equipment in my laboratory," the scientist said, thinking out loud. "The metal must have acted as a conduit for the charge."

"What do you have done there, a generator?" Warren asked.

"Really, Myka," Jeannie started, "You're going to have to childproof this house! You can't have children running around with the chance that they'll get shocked."

"Great behavior conditioning," Helena said, and meant for the Berings.

"I left you some books on the table," Jeannie whispered. "You better get her to read the one on child safety."

Now that the Berings could leave their room, they joined the couple for breakfast before they headed to the airport. Warren looked over his chair several times before he felt it was safe enough to sit. "Truly, I didn't…," Helena started in her defense, but she got lost in wondering how did it happen.

"Now, remember, we're just a plane ride away," Jeannie said, as her eyes got teary and she hugged Myka goodbye when breakfast was done.

"Promise me you'll get gates for those stairs," Warren said AGAIN as he hugged Helena.

"Righty-o," Helena said, saluting him which he found strangely endearing.

"Thanks for the car, girls," Warren said as Steve helped them with their bags. "Do you think they bought it in New York?" he whispered to his wife as they walked to the car.

"You," Myka said, as she closed the door and turned to her wife, "…..are a saint!"

"St. Helena," the Brit said, trying it on for size. "I do like the sound of that."

* * *

While Myka went over the menu for dinner with Leena in the kitchen, Helena went to look at the doorknob that caused all the trouble. The scientist could not detect anything that might have acted as the source of an electrical current. Then she went downstairs, to see if her fabricated theory had any merit, but there was nothing directly below that room on neither the first floor, nor the basement, that held any kind of charge. She wondered if Mrs. Bering's slippers coming into contract with the carpeting weren't the cause. Whatever it was, she still thought, it was an effective method for containing the in-laws. She looked around her massive laboratory in the basement. Perhaps Warren was right; they did need to childproof the house. Helena was imagining what might need to be done when she heard it; the softest whisper that made her wonder if it weren't her mind's voice speaking to her;

" _She will be safe here_ ," she heard.

Helena frowned as she tried to decide where that sound came from.

" _I will protect her_ ," she heard and then she knew; it wasn't coming from within her.

"Helena?" Myka called down just as Helena was about to inquire about that voice. She had a sneaking suspicion about who it was.

"Be right there, love," Helena yelled up and waited until she heard Myka close the door again before she whispered – "Listen, Myka ….may not …like this. I mean, I have to talk to Myka," Helena said because she wasn't sure her wife would like the Entity being the cause of the Bering's electrical prison. "Although," she said as she started upstairs, "It _was_ a _bloody_ brilliant idea."

Helena should have known better than to encourage the Warehouse.

* * *

"Who were you talking to?" Myka asked when Helena arrived upstairs.

"I was…saying….," Helena said, looking behind her wondering how to explain that her former caretaker might have caused the electrical condition in her parent's room.

Fortunately for Helena, Myka's mind was racing with other thoughts. "I cannot believe I agreed to do this! Today of all days," she said, throwing her hands up in the air. "Why didn't you talk me out of it?"

"What, exactly, are we talking about?" Helena said and then noticed a stream of people carrying lighting equipment into the living room.

"The photo shoot I agreed to? Me, of all people, giving into that!" Myka whispered as she smiled to the crew assembling in her home. She gently pushed Helena into the kitchen where Leena was preparing the menu.

"I'm sorry, Darling, but I don't…," Helena started, but was interrupted again.

"Don't you remember, I told you over …oh, wait, no I didn't," the lawyer's eidetic memory kicking in. "I'm sorry, I meant to tell you and then my parents came. Anyway, I agreed to do this simple little photo shoot for _Marie Claire's_ next issue on highlighting the top charities that benefit women. All the proceeds are going to the organizations. They have ten different categories and I agreed to do the _Expectant Mother_ section. I mean, prenatal care is really important for all women who are expecting and this is a great opportunity for us to do something that will make an impact," Myka spilled in one long run on sentence.

"They should have both of you," Leena thought out loud and Helena protested that she detested sitting still or having someone direct her movements.

"I abhor it," she summarized her feelings and there wasn't a photographer worth his or her salt that would contradict her. "They do not understand the physics of lighting."

"Yeah," Leena agreed because she remembered when an architectural magazine did a spread on the brownstones of Manhattan and featured Helena's home; she argued with every shot they took. "This should be good," the House Director said.

Suddenly, they heard - "Mr. Burnett does not like to talk," the young assistant said to Myka when she burst through the kitchen door.

"I'm sorry?" Myka said, sipping her coffee.

"No coffee!" the young woman demanded. "It wrinkles the skin, please." After her words of warning, she attempted to reach out for the cup, but an entire human body seemed to appear in front of her.

"I don't know who you are, my dear, but I suggest you give us your next of kin to contact because if you come within three feet of Mrs. Bering-Wells again, someone will be calling to collect your remains and the only photographer will be the one taking pictures of the outline of your body," Helena snarled at the intruder. Helena's words sucked the air out of the rude woman's lungs. She retreated backwards quickly until she was out of the room.

"Well, that went well," Leena said, tapping the pencil to her chin.

"My heroine," Myka smiled as she wrapped her arms around Helena's waist.

"Too much?" Helena asked and Leena smiled at how sincere she was in asking.

"Let's do it without the death threat maybe," Myka suggested sincerely. She didn't want to make Helena less protective, but perhaps they could lessen their chances of being sued.

Helena nodded her head, always listening to her legal counsel, and kissed Myka. "Maybe I'll go for a run," Helena suggested because she knew she was going to need an outlet.

" _Marie Claire_!" shouted Bridget, who rushed through the door having navigated the obstacle course of equipment in the hallway. "Is there no end to your philanthropic virtue? How are we even friends?"

"There is no end to the parade of good news coming through our front door," Helena said sardonically.

"Stop! You love me and we all know it," Bridget said, feeling particularly brave that morning.

"Sit here," Helena said, pointing to a stool at the island in the kitchen and wondering if the Warehouse would find it in her heart to electrify the chair.

"Thank you," Bridget said and began asking Myka all kinds of questions about the shoot, as Helena waited for her reaction.

There was none.

"I brought the dresses for the shoot, because besides investment banking, my wife believes I make a wonderful delivery person," Bridget laughed as she thanked Leena for the coffee.

"Oh, thank you for bringing them," Myka said and then noticed Helena staring at the stool, then the floor and then looked at the ceiling. "You okay, sweetie?" she asked the resident scientist.

"Pardon?" Helena said, caught in her own wishful thinking.

"Helena!" Bridget said when she saw the Brit staring. "Are you staring at my ass? I'm flattered!"

Myka bit her lips because she found it funny, but she was almost certain her wife would not. She was right.

"I long for the days when that cranium contained the good sense you once had not to irritate me," Helena said sternly. "Were it not for the fact that I am going for a run in the park, I would purposely buy a company just to flood your day with unnecessary paperwork and sheer aggravation."

"Uncle," the banker said, putting her hands up to signal surrender.

"I'll be back soon," Helena declared to her wife, kissing her and tenderly holding Myka's lower lip in her own mouth, until the wide smile broke them apart.

"I'll miss you," Myka said, in spite of the fact that she wouldn't be gone long.

"I wish I had known you were going for a run there, Wells," Bridget said. "I would have gone with you."

"You might have gone with me, but you would never keep up," Helena said, smiling victoriously.

"Look at these legs," the tall woman challenged, pushing them out in front of her. "I could reach the park before you left the sidewalk."

Helena scoffed at Bridget, rolling her eyes. Since the banker was dressed in an outfit that would allow her to make good on her bet, she told Helena she accepted the challenge. With that, the banker ran into the hallway to do her stretches. Helena looked over at Myka, the way someone does when they get stuck walking the dog and their expressions reads – 'Why me?'.

"Don't …..," Myka started to request, but wasn't sure what specifically she wanted to say.

"The woman is master of her own destiny," Helena said, which wasn't very assuring. "Now, I shall be back before they begin the shoot."

With that, Helena walked back into the hallway, where across a sea of people, Bridget tried to goad her. "Who is in charge?" Helena asked a man nearest her. "Mr. Burnett, of course," he answered.

"Well, I need to speak to someone who actually talks," Helena said and the man said he was in charge of the crew. "Good," she replied, getting into his personal space. "I am going to go teach that woman over there a lesson. Fear not, it won't take me long. When I return, if my wife looks the least bit bothered, frustrated, annoyed, perturbed, or any emotion that I deem unnecessary, I will make Mr. Burnett pay dearly. Do you think you can convey that message to the man who does not wish to speak?" Helena said and even Bridget, from across the room, could see how scary the Brit's expression was. The man nervously nodded his head as the makeup and costume people spoke to Myka about getting ready. "Good," Helena said, smiling but not convincing anyone she was being friendly.

"Come!" she said to Bridget who looked back at the man who she wasn't sure was breathing.

"You know, I think I feel appendicitis coming on. Oh, look, you're already running," she said, wondering if she was legally responsible for unleashing that force that ran ahead of her, out on the world.

* * *

In the meantime, the severe warning had been passed down to the crew, and everyone was as nice as could be to Myka. They listened to her when she said how she wore her makeup, and that she didn't want hairspray lacquered onto her hair. The man who received Helena's message clearly, was not as forthcoming when the famed photographer arrived, but did mention that Helena would be back soon. Helena's reputation preceded her and the man decided – when he spoke – to speak civilly to Myka.

As cooperative as Myka was as a subject, and as accommodating as the crew was, Mr. Burnett felt he wasn't capturing exactly what he wanted. He snapped his fingers to have lights moved and white diffusers shifted around. Still, he wasn't happy.

* * *

In the meantime, Bridget did manage to keep up with Helena and listened to Helena's rant about protecting the people in their lives. She instructed her private banker never to allow anyone to disrespect her own wife. Bridget was so winded by the trek, that all she could do was nod her head in agreement. Thirty minutes later, or what would take Bridget two deep muscles massages to recuperate from, the banker and her client returned.

* * *

Suddenly, and inexplicably, the photographer looked through the lens and saw it! Something had transformed Myka from a beautiful woman into a woman radiating that beauty. He feverishly clicked away, trying to capture the look, more pleased with his work than he had ever been. Myka's green eyes lit up, her full lips parted as if trying to breathe in slowly, and her face glowed, as if something was making her blush naturally.

What he didn't realize was that Helena had walked into the room behind him and what he was really looking at – was the affect she had on Myka. They were apart less than an hour, but upon seeing one another again, both women's appearances changed. He turned to see what that faraway look in Myka's eyes was - and witnessed the cause. He took picture after picture and not one of them disappointed him. When the shoot was done, Myka, dressed in a beautiful maroon chiffon dress with a stiff collar, walked over to spandex clad Helena and kissed her. The professional photographer took one picture of them as they kissed, and told Myka he did so in case he ever needed to explain how he got the look for they shoot.

He would write later –

" _I've spent years taking pictures of the most beautiful people in the world, but never before have I been fortunate enough to capture them as they experience something so strong as their love for someone. I've never witnessed the very essence of their feelings for someone. Until today."_

"Good job," Helena said to everyone because she could tell Myka was okay. "I'll be back soon," she said to her wife as she dashed upstairs to take a shower.

You The crew packed up and left, some of them stepping over a collapsed Bridget on the front steps. "Glad you made it out alive," she managed to say to the man who had been given the warning.

Then Myka, still dressed in her couture maternity clothes, brought her friend a cold bottle of water. "If I ever get the feelings back in my legs, do you guys want to go to dinner?" she gasped out.

"Actually, we're having guests tonight, but another night for sure," Myka explained.

Bridget then walked slowly to her car and instructed her driver to take her directly to her personal masseuse. She texted Sarah to remind her never to challenge Helena ever again.

* * *

Myka returned inside and went upstairs to get changed. They had a big night ahead of them. She went inside the bathroom where Helena was showering. "Helena, have you given any thought to what you'll tell Gloria this evening at dinner," Myka asked as she slipped on her jeans and t shirt.

"Of course, Darling," Helena said from the shower, her tone nonchalant.

"And what….?" Myka said as she handed her wife a towel.

"Why, the truth of course," Helena answered, graciously accepting the towel Myka held out for her.

Myka was certain Helena would have no trouble sharing the truth, but as the hour grew near, she worried how Gloria would be about hearing it.


	46. Picture Worth a Thousand Words

**Not going to lie, writing Helena as vulnerable - is tough.**

 **There are a lot of different ways this story line could have gone. I hope you'll enjoy the way this one turned out.  
**

* * *

 **Picture Worth a Thousand Words**

Helena never did get back to the basement that day as she had hoped. They had to get the living room back in order after the photo shoot and get themselves ready for their dinner guests. Myka felt they should at least be giving some thought as to how they might break the news to Gloria, but each time she suggested it, Helena gently dismissed the idea.

Miles away, in Queens, Irene Frederic was also getting ready, finding it impossible to venture a guess as to how this evening would go. She had come to like Gloria for her calm manner and caring approach to Myka and Helena. But how, she wondered, would she deal with the reality of what was about to land in her lap tonight. She knew Helena meant well in doing this, but worried that the Time Traveler was, as usual, rushing in where angels feared to tread. Still, she considered; Helena had never really felt compelled to tell anyone else this story and so, she decided to trust her friend's instinct.

Gloria stopped at the neighborhood bakery, having placed a special order for the petit fours she decided to bring. She wasn't sure what the menu was, but was certain the sweet confection would be a wonderful addition to any dessert selection. Then she chose her best black pants and a leopard print blouse she bought at Chico's, even though it wasn't on sale. With most of her hard earned money going to pay tuition, it was a rare treat for her to splurge on something for herself. She was always so grateful to have the boys two years apart when they were growing up, but she hadn't planned on two college tuitions to pay. Still, she managed to do just fine by being mindful of her expenses.

Acting on the request from her boss, Irene had called Gloria earlier in the day and asked her to please bring some items of her ancestor's that she thought would be significant for the display in the museum. Gloria chose the woman's unpublished manuscript, letters to Helena Wells, and some pictures.

Irene arrived first and came through the rear entrance, making it a point to ask Leena if everything was set for the dinner. "You're not usually nervous about these things," the astute woman noticed.

"Helena is….," Irene started and then decided it wasn't her place to share the contents.

"…is being Helena?" Leena smiled, giving her future mother-in-law an easy out.

"Yes," Irene smiled and then excused herself when she heard Helena downstairs.

* * *

"Bloody hell, I can never find anything in this house," the Brit complained as she searched for the perfect shoes for her outfit. In spite of the fact that she told her guests it was casual, Helena wore a sleeveless silver semi-sheer sequined-embellished crepe top, gray low rise pants and now donned her feet with the varnished-effect shoes. This was casual for Helena. "What?" she asked when she saw the expression on Irene's face.

"You said _casual_ ," the HR Director reminded her hostess. Irene had dressed in pants and a silk blouse, something that contradicted the spoken rule - that Helena had trouble when she wasn't in her signature two piece suits.

"I meant, " Helena said, "What is that?" she asked, waving her hand at her guest.

"These are my _casual_ clothes," Irene said, having given great thought to the fact that it would throw the Brit.

Helena stared at Irene as if she were dressed in an outfit so foreign to her; she was trying to figure it out. Irene watched as the logical part of Helena's brain tried to explain to her emotional lobe that she really had no say in what Irene wore and that truly, it made no difference. Guess which part won out?

"I don't like it," she said and it wasn't critical as much as it was informative.

"Yes, I know. I chose _my_ comfort over _yours_. I hope you can forgive me," Irene said, smiling and only Helena would miss the dryness of the remark.

"Yes," Helena uttered, agreeing that it was something that needed to be forgiven and yes, she would forgive her. That didn't mean she wouldn't comment on it.

Then the hostess looked at her watch and noted that it was seconds before eight o'clock. "I abhor lateness," - a rule that applied to everyone else but herself.

With seconds to spare though, the doorbell rang and Irene's smile of satisfaction burst through her eyes. "You have a long night ahead of you, Irene. I would save some of that mirth for when you need it later." With that, Helena opened the door and welcomed her guest, thanking her for having the good sense to arrive on time.

"I'm a stickler for always being on time," Gloria admitted; something her own kids complained about as she was always rushing them when they had to be somewhere.

"Duly noted," Helena said and looked at Irene as if she weren't a card carrying member of that club.

"I should have worn the suit," she said, thinking her penance would be stretched out over the entire evening.

* * *

Helena thanked the nurse for the box of desserts and brought them into the kitchen. This gave Gloria a chance to show Irene the things she had brought with her in her oversized pocketbook. "I'll leave it to you to share this," she said respectfully. Irene smiled, but Gloria noticed it was an uncomfortable grin, and wondered if she had changed her mind. "I hope I'm not _too_ casual," the nurse said grateful to be in comfortable shoes.

"Oh, no, you're fine. Helena has a very different understanding of casual," Irene explained and brought Gloria into the library where Leena had placed a tray of hors d'oeuvres. "White wine or something stronger?" Irene asked and Gloria said the wine would be just fine.

* * *

Helena went upstairs to see if Myka was ready. She was having some trouble feeling comfortable in clothes now that her shape was changing. "You might as well wear your sweatpants and t-shirt, love, when you see what Irene is wearing," Helena said, rolling her eyes.

This was a rule Myka was very familiar with and could only imagine what had her wife so upset. "Really, bad, eh?" she said and didn't meant it at all.

"It's…okay," Helena said, because she couldn't, in truth, criticize the outfit. "If you want to dress like that."

"Helena!" Myka gently chastised her wife, but rewarded her pouting lip with a kiss anyway. "Be brave."

"I'm not wearing the ridiculous outfit; there is nothing for me to be brave about," Helena replied.

Myka slid into comfortable pants and put on a rose colored jersey maternity top that she liked. "I see you're wearing your flats," Myka laughed at the two-inch heels her wife had on.

"Shall we?" Helena said, ignoring the tease, but smiling all the same. Myka took Helena's arm and they walked downstairs together. They went into the library to greet their guests and Myka thanked them for coming.

Polite conversation turned to the museum and the upcoming nuptials that would take place before it.

"You will come," Helena said, sitting with her legs crossed, her arm entwined in Myka's next to her.

"Well," Gloria said, looking at Irene, "I don't see why I would be….," and she was going to point out that she didn't know the engaged couple well enough to expect to be invited.

"Have you met the bride's mother? My dear Gloria; a nurse's presence should be required at that event," Helena explained.

"I believe your invitation is forthcoming," Irene explained as she had spoken to Claudia. Lack of immediate family meant the IT Director was at liberty to invite all of her friends from Wells Corp.

"Well, I would be honored to accept," the nurse said and in Helena's mind, there was no other option to consider.

* * *

When the foursome got up to go into the dining room, Gloria left her bag on the couch on purpose. Helena hadn't inquired if she brought anything, so she decided to wait. She kept the conversation going at dinner by asking Helena and Myka how they met. It was perhaps the first time she had seen Helena openly admit how badly she had done something and laugh at the same time.

"…..then she had the Mayor ask me to dance, just so she could dance with my date, so he would smell of her perfume," Myka retold and smiled at how clever she had thought Helena was. "I told him I was cold, just so I could wear his jacket!" she laughed.

"It doesn't sound like the smooth beginning I was expecting," Gloria laughed.

"You could have cut the tension with a knife," Myka admitted. "But…," she said, reaching over and taking her wife's hand, "….I finally came to my senses."

"And I learned an important lesson in patience," Helena said of her impulsive nature, taking Myka's hand to her lips and kissing it.

"I guess we all grow some when we find our soulmates," Gloria smiled sincerely.

Helena had asked Leena to join them for dinner so that she could tell Gloria about the museum. "We're going to have a whole section dedicated to Amelia Brown," Leena explained. "It's a wonderful testament to the woman…," she said.

"And to you, Helena," Gloria added quickly. "I can't tell you how grateful my family is for this opportunity to have Amelia get some of the recognition she deserved. To think, after all this time, people will finally know who she is," the nurse said and she choked on the emotion of the event and had to take a sip of water. "Whole thing makes me emotional," she laughed, wiping her eye with the napkin. "When you think how different things could have been if she only had the opportunity to fulfill her destiny."

Myka watched Helena's dark eyes drink in the sentiment and reflect back a myriad of feelings. Helena was pleased she could do this for Amelia and her family, but in giving the doctor her due, it reminded Helena how her own identity was suppressed all these years. That contradiction stormed in Helena's eyes. But as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared and Myka watched as Helena rose from her seat, thanked Leena for the lovely meal and suggested they retire to the living room.

Irene, too, watched Helena's every move, every expression, waiting for her to commence her revelation. She was ready to do whatever was required of her - even if she had no idea what that might be.

And while they were watching Helena, Gloria quietly observed Irene and Myka and how their combined attentions were drawn to the Brit. She simply had never seen anything like it.

* * *

And then it started –

"Gloria made the tea," Leena said, looking directly at her boss with a warning tone in her voice. "Don't hold it against her," she whispered as she gave Helena the cup. _Gloria had insisted on helping Leena with the desserts and made the tea herself. Leena warned the woman that Helena was obsessive about the brew and to brace herself for some well-meaning criticism._

"I'll try," Helena said, sipping the delicious elixir that was like heaven in a cup. Leena watched Helena's expression and wondered about the drink because Helena was incapable of faking positive affection for anyone's tea but Eileen's. And Myka's - it was so close.

"Are you close to your family?" Helena inquired as she sipped on her tea and refused to put the cup down.

"These are delicious!" Myka blurted out because she had been denying how nervous she was about this decision.

The sidetracking worked for a moment as Gloria shared about the neighborhood bakery she purchased them from. And then finally answered Helena.

"I am," she said truthfully. "Most of my family is still in Virginia, but I get down to see them quite a bit," the nurse said. She thought it nothing more than a friendly inquiry.

When she finally drained the cup of its contents, Helena put it down. "Gloria, what I am about to share with you will, in fact, be a blessing and a curse," she began and Irene sat up straight like a guard just called to duty.

"Oh! Gee," Gloria said and she, too, putting her tea down, as if bracing herself for impact. Having already witnessed how impulsive Helena was, she considered for a second that she was being fired.

"While you will no doubt be impressed that I share this with you," Helena spoke truthfully, "…it will nonetheless, bring a burden to you."

Gloria wasn't as versed in Helena-ese as Irene and Myka and she quickly looked at them to see if they could translate, but neither was offering any help. "Your great-great grandmother wasn't just the midwife who delivered a baby in France all those years ago," Helena began. "She was the only relief for the mother who was surrounded by people worried what the unwed birth would do to their reputation and good name. Not that they didn't care about the mother, but you see, they were products of the times they lived in," Helena said, thoughtfully because she had forgiven them many years ago.

"Sounds like these two women shared a great deal, doesn't it?" Gloria postulated. "Both of them of casualties of the times they lived in."

It was a thoughtful statement that each of the women in the room could appreciate.

"You have no idea," Helena said and both Myka and Irene's attentions were drawn to the deepening of Helena's tone.

"The woman who Amelia helped that summer, returned to London and became part of clandestine group that worked on special government projects," Helena started.

"Like a secret agent?" Gloria asked with great interest. Everything she ever read about Amelia's friend told her the woman was highly intelligent and very creative.

"Somewhat," Helena said. "The place she worked for allowed her to continue her experiments, many of which were the basis for her stories, and also help in protecting people. Something she thought she was very good at." And there it was – the wrenching regret that lived deep inside Helena that she couldn't protect Christina.

"Sounds like she was jack of all trades and master of them, too," Gloria said, excited to be hearing more. She noticed the somber mood in the room and realized more was going on that she was hearing and seeing.

"Helena had no way of knowing that Amelia was trying to contact her. Her mother feared that the doctor could exploit the fact that the child was born out of wedlock. As I shared before, it was a regret she amended on her deathbed," Helena said. "But by that time, tragedy struck the family again when young Christina was murdered."

Myka reached out to hold Helena's hand, tears gently cascaded down her cheek now, the hormones making it impossible to hold back. Helena held Myka's hand and gently wiped the tear from her cheek.

"It's so sad," Gloria said softly.

"Her mother, having built a machine that could transport her consciousness in time, attempted over and over again to undo the events of that day, but alas, she could not," Helena said, the weight of that made her shoulders cave.

"She…really believed she …could do that?" Gloria asked.

"Yes," Helena said and Gloria decided that Helena must have journals that documented what her ancestor attempted to do. She wondered, to herself, what the diagnosis would have been for a woman who had suffered so much and became delusional.

"The mother was wrought with sadness and anger and made impulsive decisions that cost people their lives," Helena shared, the grimace appearing on her face.

"Oh my, Lord, who could blame the poor thing?" Gloria said, having witnessed first-hand what happens to parents when they lose a child.

It was the first time Helena picked up her head and looking right at Gloria, smiled.

"What happened to her?" the nurse asked with compassion about the woman she felt had come alive in Amelia's journals.

"She was imprisoned, but it was by her request," Helena pointed out.

"She gave herself up to the authorities?" the nurse inquired, aghast at how awful this whole story turned out. Of course, none of this was anywhere in Amelia's writings.

"In a matter of speaking, yes. She gave herself over to the people she worked for and they placed her in an encasement that provided her with what she felt was a just punishment," Helena said, her voice still deep and sad.

"Did…did she die there?" Gloria asked because the books were vague on whatever happened to the sister part of HG Wells. Her name appeared on the grave marker alongside Christina.

"In many ways, it appeared so," Helena said and Irene choked back tears at how painful this was for her friend.

"This is so sad," Gloria said, sitting back and taking in the heavy emotions in the room. She thought that was the end of the story.

"I have not been thorough in my telling of this story, Gloria," Helena said, collecting her thoughts and sitting erect. Myka still had not let go of her hand.

Gloria's mind raced with thoughts - as if Helena's story held missing pieces of a puzzle she had been curious about. "Don't you like to think….," she said, looking at each of the women, "…that these two old friends are sitting in heaven somewhere having tea?" Those images, so clear in her mind's eye, made her put her head down and emit a soft chuckle.

"Amelia will have to wait for that to happen," Helena said, and Irene was certain the nurse didn't understand.

"Oh, I think you're judging Helena Wells harshly, aren't you? Who is to say that any of us, when faced with that tragedy, wouldn't take extreme measures?" Gloria asked and kept feeling like she and the group were on two different pages of the same story. "It sounds like…," she said, looking at someone to back her up, "…that Helena paid her debt to society."

Helena let out a deep sigh. There was no easy way to share this story. She was going to tell her and then Irene could accompany her to the hospital. In that outfit.

"I am Christina's mother, Gloria," she said as plain as day. "I am the Helena Wells that your great-great grandmother knew. I knew her," Helena said in succession.

"People say…. I look just like…Amelia. You know, except…that she was tall…and thin," Gloria laughed, because what Helena was saying simply didn't compute.

"The encasement that I was placed in, kept me suspended in time until I was released years ago. I am Helena Wells, born in 1866 in England, creative genius behind the HG Wells anthology, besides a host of other incredible things," Helena said without a modicum of modesty.

Gloria's head swiveled from looking at Irene to staring at Myka for either of them to tell her what was going on. Clearly, her hostess was experiencing something and they were enabling her. "Listen, are you certain… I should be here?" she asked Irene, because she knew the woman was level headed. Irene slid her hand across the space between them on the couch opposite Helena and Myka and took the nurse's hand.

"I know this sounds unbelievable, but…," Irene said slowly.

The nurse pulled her hand away and looked back at Helena. "You are asking me to believe that you are Helena Wells, the one and the same whom Amelia knew? You…..all…believe this? " she asked. She had heard about mass delusions – groups of people believing some untruth as a whole. Usually under the influence of a charismatic leader.

And then Helena put it as plainly as she could. "I have no reason to lie to you."

Gloria fell back on the couch softly, trying to take in what was happening. "How is it possible that you ….you didn't age?" was the first question the woman who understood the human body asked.

"The process is called bronzing, and it suspends a person - conscious, yet immobile. The effect on the body is like a shield against time. One does not age," Helena explained.

"Wait, you're conscious? You were awake all those years?" Gloria asked, looking for the hole in this impossible story that was being spun in front of her.

"Yes," Helena said, and Myka pulled Helena's arm into her.

"She's telling you the truth," Myka said with great emotion in her voice. No one was more convincing than Myka, and Gloria sat there, her head shaking no as she tried to fine one plausible reason to believe this. She was a woman of science who knew this was not possible. She needed proof.

"Tell me about the pictures," she finally said and her voice was definite.

"What pictures?" Helena asked and even though she understood the woman's hesitancy, she didn't care to be challenged.

"The one I showed you of Amelia and Helena. There were more, I've never told anyone. No one knows about them. If you were there, you will know," Gloria said. The pictures were in a leather pouch with a faded blue ribbon around it with a note written in Amelia's handwriting, asking whoever possessed them, never to reveal them.

Helena thought about the picture she had seen _._

 _It was taken before she returned to London, after Christina was born. Charles had accompanied her and Amelia on a walk one day with his new camera. He was all thumbs in trying to operate the piece of technology. When they were done, he accidentally opened the back, exposing the film and causing Helena to lose her temper. She lashed out at him and grabbed the camera back, convinced the film had been lost to the sunlight._

" _Take this, with you," she said, pushing the camera into Amelia's doctor's bag. "Have someone develop the film. Maybe one or two will be saved." Having a solid understanding of the physics of lighting, Helena was almost certain the exposed film would produce nothing. But when Amelia sent the entire camera back to Eastman Kodak in the States, she received several clear pictures back._

 _The doctor thought it was a generous offering from a woman she felt strangely affectionate towards. Helena felt like she was giving someone who had come to know her – proof that she did indeed exist. Lost under Charles' bravado and now her parent's shame, Helena needed someone to hold a better image of her._

Helena looked up at the nurse and began –

"It was two weeks after Christina was born. They thought I was weak from the delivery, but Amelia knew it was more than that. She told my mother I was suffering from post-partum melancholy, and knew that if I had been sent back to London, the pedagogy would dictate that I be given drugs or worse. She refused to leave my side, knowing that my family, though well meaning, were adding to it. So, each day, she would insist that we walk. Sometimes, we took Christina," Helena said and her face lit up as only it did when she spoke of her child. She was lost in that reverie for a moment.

"This one day," she came back to the question, "Charles insisted on coming with us. He had brought a new camera and wanted to take pictures. He snapped away at everything he could find. Amelia and I even allowed him to take our picture, so he could get used to the device. Charles was never any good with machines," Helena laughed.

Gloria listened politely, but this told her nothing about the photos and Helena now realized that. She was getting lost in memories and not answering the question. She coughed, as if embarrassed, and refocused.

"Of course, the pictures would be in black and white, but the sky that day was cerulean blue, as if the world was upside down, and you were looking at the ocean. There were a few white clouds, but off in the distance were darker ones. Charles warned us it was going to rain. Christina was asleep in her carriage as we walked along. We stopped by a bench and she and I sat down and rocked the carriage when Christina fussed. Amelia sang her a song – a lullaby from her village she said," Helena reminisced.

And then she began to sing it. " _Be still, be still my child. Be still, be still, be still my child_."

Helena blushed that she was so lost in her memories, that she actually sang the song.

It was a song that Amelia sang to her children, who sang it to theirs, who passed it on to their children. It was the song Gloria grew up hearing and sang to her boys. A song that she had never heard anyone other than her family sing.

Myka's eyes filled up as she heard Helena sing the lullaby. Then, she started to notice an agitation building inside her. Maybe what Gloria was asking for was too much to ask. Yes, she wanted proof, but at what cost to Helena?

"Charles took a picture of Amelia holding Christina and singing to her," Helena said, smiling as she thought back to that day. "He opened the camera, exposing the film, and I was certain the pictures were lost. I gave the camera to Amelia, for safekeeping, with the intention of seeing her again. But, I never did."

Irene and Myka looked at Gloria, who now sat with a shocked look on her face. There was simply no way for Helena to know that …..unless she was there.

"Oh, my Lord," the nurse said softly, her shoulders falling under the weight of what she had just heard. "That means…..you….were ….there?" Gloria asked and Myka took a deep breath that the nurse was coming around.

"I was," Helena said sincerely. "I truly was."

"That would mean….you're…..," Gloria said, unable to finish her sentence.

But it was just as well, because it gave Helena the deepest satisfaction to say -

"I ...am HG Wells."

* * *

 **A/N thank you to all of you still on the journey with me. Sometimes I don't know unless you post or send me your thoughts, questions in a message.  
**

 **Thank you to AsdardianBlade for helping me keep the characters - in character. Thank you to Aidly James, M4BW, Krys, Harley Quinn Davidson, Lisa, 69reggaegirl, CDB55, MONEBUDDHA,** **\- and everyone who reads this and signs up for updates. I should be paying you all overtime.**


	47. Big News

**Big News!**

Gloria was a very practical woman; her years as a nurse had trained her to handle almost any situation. But this? This took the cake.

"So, you're …. _the_ …HG Wells…from …," and she threw her chin up to indicate ' _way back when_ '.

"I am, indeed," Helena said, remembering how good it felt to announce who she really was.

"I know this is hard," Irene said softly, yet she was still worried Helena was not going to get the response she wanted.

"And…you're okay? I mean, physically?" Gloria asked because she could only imagine that if that process really did exist, what toll it could take on a person's body.

"Yes, I'm, thankfully, in excellent shape," Helena responded, the pride showing on her face.

"And….," the nurse pursued because she imagined the emotional and psychological effects to be horrendous. "Being …locked up…but aware….."

"I like that you get right to the heart of the matter," Helena said sincerely. "I ran a series of tests after I was officially dismissed. I had a compromised immune system..," she explained and looked at Irene who saved her that night long ago, "…..and an iron deficiency for a while, but I have recovered fully."

"That's not what I meant," Gloria heard herself saying because she had more than Helena to worry about now.

It was the first time that any of them heard the woman utter anything that could be considered confrontational. Myka took offense immediately and started to say … "Wait a minute," and Irene sat up straight, in attack mode. But Helena understood what the medical expert was asking and she appreciated her candor.

"It's okay," Helena said and put her hand on Myka's to calm her. "You have a right to ask anything, considering what we're asking you to believe."

Irene may have stood down, but Myka didn't flinch. "She's perfect," she said and Gloria didn't move; she just stared at Helena.

"I promise you, Gloria, I am of sound mind and body. You've spent time with me. Do I not strike you as rational, sane, and well-balanced?"

"What Helena means…," Irene started to say because of course Helena was stable, but her behavior sometimes contradicted that.

Gloria knew that Myka was upset, and Irene was going to protect Helena no matter what, so she had to decide on her own. She looked at Helena and read everything she could in her body language and expression. Helena was right – she had no reason to lie to her.

"I'm going to need time to process this, but I believe you, Helena," Gloria finally said and Irene let out an audible sigh. Being in attack mode took a lot out of the woman.

"Well, good!" Helena uttered, relaxing as she held onto to Myka's hand. She may have felt relieved it was done, but Myka's stiffened arm told her not everyone was. Even Irene still seemed edgy. "I think the important thing here," Helena began and was speaking to everyone present, "…is that we are all on the same page."

"Yes," Irene affirmed because that made sense.

"I agree," said the newest member of the page, although you could still hear the hesitancy in her voice.

Myka nodded her head, but Helena didn't get the expected response in her body. Now she would have two things to talk to Myka about later. She asked Myka if she wouldn't mind getting more tea since Leena had left after dinner. Myka got up and Helena indicated with a jerk of her head, that Irene should go with her – leaving Gloria alone with Helena.

* * *

"You can ask me any question you have, Gloria. I understand this might be challenging to a woman of science," Helena mentioned.

The nurse took no time in asking her first question. "What kind of government agency has a process to put people in suspended animation for an indefinite period of time," Gloria asked.

"The IRS," Helena answered and Gloria turned her head quickly to look at her. "Actually, it is a small group whose sole purpose is to collect and store artifacts for the protection of humankind. I was sought out for my scientific background when I was still in London."

Then Gloria remembered something important. "I'm so sorry about your daughter, Helena," she said, even though it was hard for her to grasp what she was saying.

"Thank you," Helena said sincerely. "You should know that it is only because of Myka that I have healed from that wound; as well as anyone can. She has absolutely seen to that."

The more Helena talked, the more Gloria found herself believing this outrageous story. Then the nurse, once again, impressed Helena. "Myka is upset," she said, having read the woman's gestures perfectly.

"She is …protective," Helena replied and knew the nurse already knew that.

"You seem surrounded by people who wish to protect you. Yet, you strike me as the one who needs it the least," Gloria noted. "It's a testament to their loyalty."

"I am very fortunate," Helena admitted openly.

And then, as evidence that the woman truly was trying to accept what she had been told, she asked Helena the question that was really on her mind – "What was she like, Helena?"

Just thinking about Amelia Brown brought warmth to Helena's heart and a smile to her face. "She was caring, calm, and so very bright," Helena started and found it so easy to speak about the woman from so many years ago. "You must understand that she walked into a chaotic household, where there was more going on than just the birth," she continued and looked away, as if replaying the scene in her mind's eye. "I was too exhausted to fight my mother anymore. I would have given into anything she was demanding just to get her to stop. But as soon as Amelia entered the château, I could tell who was really in charge. She gently, though firmly, ordered my mother out of the room and gave my father and Charles a list of things she needed done. They went to the village for hours and it wasn't until later, did she tell me that she didn't really need any of it," Helena laughed. "My mother thought she was more tenacious than I, and that was saying a lot!"

The more Helena talked, the brighter the smile grew on Gloria's face. "Oh Lord, my grandmother used to tell me that I got my stubborn streak from her," she chuckled.

Then Helena's expression became serious and she looked at Gloria. "She taught me that my love would be enough for Christina. While everyone else was pointing out what this child would not have, Amelia assured me she had everything in me. For that wisdom alone, I am forever in her debt."

"Helena," Gloria said softly. "If that debt wasn't paid a long time ago, it certainly is now."

* * *

Things were not as calm in the kitchen where Myka was caught between supporting Helena and this decision, and her worry about the ramifications. "Why now? Why Gloria?" Myka questioned out loud.

"I'm going to remind her that her silence is a foregone conclusion," Irene added as she paced on the other side of the island.

"Good!" Myka echoed. "And tell her she can't …..mention this to anyone."

The two women were so agitated; they couldn't even hear that they were saying the very same thing.

* * *

Helena's idea to give Gloria the space to say what was on her mind, backfired by sending the two women into the kitchen who spent the time combining forces. Helena was certain of that because when they reentered the room – there was no tea. Gloria flashed a small smile at Helena.

"This probably goes without saying," Irene said, about to say it anyway. "But it is imperative that you not share this with anyone. Even your family."

"Yes, of…," Gloria was mid-sentence when Myka interjected - "It could endanger their lives, as well as Helena's."

Helena reminded the women that she felt certain Gloria understood that, but it was like pulling the leash on two oversized barking dogs. Gloria knew that the best way to handle this was to look Myka, then Irene, straight in the eyes and say –

"I want to assure you both that I recognize both the privilege and the responsibility that comes with this information. I would never want any harm to come to any of you, nor my family, and promise to take this to the grave."

Helena's eyebrows rose at how eloquent and complete the woman's assurance was. "Well, I think that does it then," she said and noticed Myka looking at Irene to see if they agreed. Thankfully, for Helena's sake, they did.

"I will leave all of this with …..," Gloria said, and looked around to see who was going to take the items she brought. Helena assured her that it would be fine to leave them with her. She placed the items on the coffee table as she stood up and thanked the hostesses for a lovely dinner. She hugged Helena and when she embraced Myka, she assured her that she understood, even though Myka never asked her anything. Her warmth was palpable and Myka felt better upon hearing it. Again.

Irene purposely did not offer to accompany Gloria, and Steve was waiting outside to take her home. She told Steve to leave and that she would take a cab. He knew Helena would never let that happen and called Pete to see if he was available.

* * *

Helena walked Gloria to the door. "What is that wonderful smell?" she asked her hostess when they were alone in the hallway.

"Pardon?" "Helena was asking because she didn't catch it at first.

"Apples," Gloria said, finding it odd that the sweet aroma would be there. She didn't notice it before.

Helena just smiled and shrugged her shoulders as she said goodnight. On her way back to the living room, she noticed the basement door to her laboratory was open.

* * *

Myka excused herself to make what was becoming a more frequent habit of going to the bathroom. Irene sat down on the couch, across from Helena. "When will you go through these?" she asked and pointed to the stack of items Gloria left.

"I think we should tell Bridget next," Helena said, on a different track that her friend.

"EXCUSE ME?" Irene declared and her tone was a combination of shock and warning. "Are you…?" she said, looking to make sure Myka wasn't coming. "….trying to kill me?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Helena chastised her for being dramatic.

"Is this because I wore casual clothes?" Irene asked, unable to fathom why Helena suggested this.

"What? Oh, no, you'll pay for that another time. I really just don't like it. It's …..odd," she finally settled on.

"Wearing casual clothes is odd, but you wanting to share who you really are... is …..?" and Irene stopped because she didn't even know what the word was.

"Think about it, Irene. Should something happen to me, Myka would need all the support she could get. That woman is, by some definition, her best friend. How could she support Myka in her hour of need if she didn't know the whole story?" the Brit proposed.

Irene could see the logic in what Helena suggested, but that didn't make it any easier. Then she reminded herself that Helena was using her as a sounding board. It would be Myka's job to agree or not. "As always, Helena, I will support your decision. I beg you to give me twenty-four hours to recoup if that's at all possible," Irene said, feeling drained and exhausted.

"I'll talk to Myka," Helena said and assured her friend she wouldn't take action until she updated her.

* * *

When Myka came back into the room, Irene stood up and thanked them for dinner. When questioned how she was going to get home, the woman explained she would take a cab. "Don't be ridiculous," Helena replied, and Irene explained that she really was capable of making her own transportation choices.

"Yes, and you can dress yourself, but we've seen how that turns out," Helena said and read the text from Pete that said he was outside. "Pete will take you," Helena informed her friend who was too tired to argue.

And with that, Pete burst through the door, looking quite animated. He was smiling, but he was moving all around and he slapped his hand over his mouth as if trying to hold back his words.

"Are you okay?" Myka asked and at first, he nodded his head, but then he shook it.

"Oh, do stop that," Helena said impatiently, "….and spit it out!"

Pete stopped immediately, and looked at all three women, unable to hold it in any longer.

"I'm getting married tomorrow!"

Myka was the first to ask – "Tomorrow? Why tomorrow?"

"I don't think that works for me," Helena said, thinking it over.

"Does Jane know?" Irene wondered out loud.

Pete took a step and stood in front of Myka to answer her; "Because Jane is off tomorrow."

Then he slid over the Helena; "You have to be there! Please! You're my Best Man. Woman. My Best Woman."

The he moved to Irene; "Yes, she knows. It was her idea. We're going to have a baby!"

And with that he reached out and hugged Irene so hard, she nearly fell over.


	48. The Best Woman For the Job

**The Best Woman For the Job**

"I…I don't know what to say," Irene finally said upon her release from Pete's bear hug.

"I know what to say!" said the woman who was never at a loss for words; "What the bloody hell were you thinking?"

"Hel-e-na," Myka said, stretching her wife's name out over the span of a few seconds so she could slide next to her and put her arm around her. "We want to say congratulations, Pete."

"No, we do not!" her one track minded wife said. "Well, yes, we do, but not until you explain why _now_. We already have a wedding to prepare for…" Helena ranted and Myka squeezed her again, just before Irene pulled Pete in for another hug, saying congratulations, and shooting Helena a look.

"Oh," Helena said and finally got on board the polite train before it pulled completely out of the station. "Of course, Pete," she said and Pete's face lit up – finally. And when Myka nudged her just the slightest bit, she immediately asked what they could do.

"Thanks, Boss! It would really mean a lot to me if you'd accept and be my Best Wo-Man," Pete said slowly.

"Of course," Helena said and finally catching on, added – "It would be my pleasure. What exactly do I do?"

"You show up tomorrow," Pete said and then shifted his weight from side to side. "I mean, usually there's a bachelor party," he uttered, barely audible. "But that's ….no, there's no time."

"What did he say?" Helena asked, but Pete interrupted her.

"We got the Mayor to agree because, she's his personal liaison with all things Wells, so he said he would," Pete stammered.

It finally dawned on Myka what else Pete said. "You're going to be a father!" she exclaimed and ran to hug him all over again.

"Can you believe it!" he said, and hugged Myka back, but pushed his butt out so he wouldn't crowd her.

"Do you _not_ cover birth control in any of those HR classes?" Helena asked Irene quietly.

"Yes, it's right after the " _Mind Your Own Business_ " seminar," Irene said softly back. "How is Jane feeling?" Irene asked instead of acknowledging the glare she felt.

"She's good. We took the pregnancy test. I think it's a boy," Pete said, making sure everyone would listen.

"Pete, we didn't mean to take you away from Jane, tonight. Please go home. I'll catch a cab," Irene pleaded with him.

"Oh God, she is so stubborn," Helena let out because of how the woman wouldn't let go of something once she got her teeth into it.

* * *

"Helena, a minute?" Myka asked and Helena was more than happy to escape into the living room with Myka. Irene asked Pete what she could do and he started his long list of things that needed to be taken care of. When Helena closed the door to the living room, Myka turned around to invade her space.

"So, uhm, sweetie?" Myka said, in a tone she used when she wanted her wife to do something that she was almost certain she would say no to. She moved as close to Helena as her protruding stomach would allow.

"Yes, Darling," Helena said because as soon as Myka used that voice, Helena would do anything.

"Pete has asked you to be his Best Man and the job of the Best Man is to take the groom out the night before….," she started and Helena's eyes grew wide.

"You have got to be…..no! You're not suggesting. Me? You can't be serious," Helena said all in one long breath.

"Not for a long time. Maybe just take him for drinks with some people. He's such a traditionalist that I'm sure he would feel he missed out if you don't," Myka said, and her bottom lip jutted out in a slight pout.

"Aren't you tired?" Helena asked, a part of her already giving in.

"I thought I would stay here and give Jane a shower," Myka said, wondering how quickly they could pull this together.

"At this hour?" Helena said, incredulously.

"Just a few friends and we can call a store ….," Myka said, willing to use Helena's influence on the rare occasion.

"Wait, is it a bridal shower or a baby shower?" Helena wanted to know.

"Wedding. We'll wait for them to announce the news themselves," Myka said, curling a long strand of Helena's hair around her finger. Which was pretty much how she had her wife right now.

"This is utterly ridiculous, not to mention inconvenient," Helena huffed. "Why do people not consider how problematic they make our lives when they're doing these things?"

Myka smiled at how serious Helena really was, but wanted to make sure she was also agreeing to her plan. "So, you'll….take him?" she asked so sweetly that even if Helena wanted to refuse, she simply couldn't now.

"Yes," Helena heard herself saying and only then did her brain attempt to get back online to figure out the details. Myka kissed her lips before the many reasons why this was a ridiculous idea could fall off them.

Pete's fate literally had been sealed with a kiss.

* * *

Myka opened the door so they could rejoin their friends, and that is how long it took Helena to come up with a plan. Myka turned back and whispered to her wife – "Ask him if he would like to."

Helena, who so often missed the nuances of not letting the cat out of the bag, really missed this. "As your Best Woman, it is incumbent upon me to provide you with an archaic pre-wedding celebration to commemorate you last night as a free man. Although I believe the detective has had you symbolically handcuffed since the moment you met …. _Ouch_!" Helena said as two separate elbows jabbed her in her side. She decided never to stand between Myka and Irene again.

"Sorry, Boss?" Pete said, having been lost in the long stream of words.

"Do you have time for a bachelor party?" Helena said, each word pronounced carefully and slowly.

"With you?" he asked and Myka could see immediately that he was thrilled. "You mean, you'd be there? We would go out together? With people?" The groom-to-be was trying to act nonchalant, but he was so excited he couldn't contain it.

"I thought maybe I would throw Jane a tiny shower, here, if she's available," Myka said, hoping she would be awake when Jane got there.

"Oh, guys!" he said, hugging everyone again and choking back tears. "You are the best friends anyone could ever have!"

"Guilty as charged," Helena said and with that, the women went into action.

* * *

Pete called Jane who was very happy to hear he was going to have his own bachelor party, and less thrilled to hear about the shower. "They don't have to do that….," Jane said, because she had made it a lifelong goal never to attend a shower of any kind. Pete was insistent and said that it was Myka's idea. Jane promised to be there as soon as she could. Being the well trained detective that she was, the first thing she did was call for backup.

An hour later, or almost Myka's bedtime, the group of friends assembled in the entry way of the Bering-Wells Townhouse. Eileen kissed Claudia when the techie explained she had to go with Pete. "I'll do the shower," Eileen said, because with her family, she was practically an expert.

Steve and Andrew stood by Pete and Officer Bell never left Jane's side. "Showers are so much fun," the young officer said.

"You know I'm armed, right?" Jane said, hoping it sounded like a joke even though she meant it.

"I am having trouble deciding," Sui admitted because according to his program on rituals, both sounded like fun.

"Shower or bachelor party?" Bridget said, using her hands as if she were literally weighing her options. "Paper cuts, bow hats and squealing versus general rowdiness and raising hell," she said as if there really were any contest. "Have fun at the shower, honey," she kissed Sarah as she made her choice.

"Now remember, Helena," Jane said, thrilled that Pete was getting what he wanted from whom he wanted it from, "….don't get him arrested at the strip club."

"I'm going to the bachelor party," Sui suddenly decided.

Helena's head shot up as she looked at Myka. "I ….we…..no! We can go to dinner, have an after dinner drink perhaps, but…." she announced, looking at Myka for affirmation that this was the plan.

"They're painting the walls along the West Side Highway. Maybe we could stop there and watch it dry," Bridget said, ribbing the Brit for her lack of exciting plans.

"I cannot guarantee the safe return of your wife," Helena said candidly to Sarah.

Jane watched the exchange and joked that maybe the young policeman should go to the bachelor party and protect Pete. The look of disappointment on her face was so telling that Jane had to explain she was kidding; just kidding. "This is exactly why I never got a puppy," she whispered to Irene.

Myka asked Leena, who returned early with Gerard, to fill champagne flutes with their most expensive stock; even though Pete would be drinking ginger ale along with her. One sip and Bridget knew it was the rare Krug _Clos d'Ambonnay_ 1998 with a price tag of two-thousand a bottle.

"Top shelf for your boy," Bridget said as she clinked Myka's glass of bubbly soda. "Now, let's do this right," she said as she pressed all kinds of keys on her phone to call the Waldorf Astoria Hotel to their penthouse suite which was booked until she said she was calling for Helena. Then, it suddenly became available. She asked that it be stocked with soda, chips, and any other food they would serve at a Super Bowl party.

"Add video games," Myka said and Bridget got them to do that too.

"There won't be naked women at this, will there?" Claudia asked because it might have been a deal breaker.

"If they're serving this champagne, I can't make any promises," Bridget quipped and kissed her wife who knew hell would freeze over first.

Irene assured Helena that she would keep an eye on Myka after the Brit informed her that she was to dismiss the guests if Myka so much as yawned. "You will have to stay over," Helena informed Irene, giving her no choice in the matter. "I shan't be late," Helena said, even though it already was.

Myka kissed her goodbye and reminded her she was being an awfully good friend to Pete. "No good deed, Myka; no good deed."

* * *

The troupe went outside and piled into cars and headed toward the hotel. The women inside sat down in the living room where a pile of gifts with large bows adorned the table. "If anyone attempts to make one of those ridiculous bow hats and put it on my head," Jane said to Officer Bell, "You have permission to shoot them!"

Jane, who never really cared to be in the limelight, did in fact appreciate all the trouble her friends went to for the impromptu wedding shower. For all the bravado, the curmudgeonly detective considered these women to be her best friends. Especially Myka and Helena.

Pete enjoyed the game-centric evening and the room filled with his favorite foods. Although he hadn't touched a drop of alcohol all night, he was more animated than those who had had a few. "This was great!" he said as the night drew to a close. "We should do this more often," he said, his arm wrapped around Helena, before going back to the online game.

"You're a very lucky woman," Bridget said as she sat with the Brit behind the area where the boys …and Claudia …..were still playing _Modern Warfare_ as a team. " _Watch out_!" they yelled more than once.

"You'd never know it by the circumstances I find myself in this evening," Helena said, sipping what the establishment was brave enough to call tea. They were given strict instructions over the phone from Eileen, but it simply hadn't worked.

"No, it's true," said the investment banker as she looked out at the group assembled there. "You're surrounded by people who adore you. I mean, I'm just happy Jane's not a jealous woman," Bridget said sincerely. "Even that nurse is totally on board with _Team Bering-Wells_."

Mentioning the nurse made Helena reflect back on the dinner they had earlier that evening. It had gone as smoothly as Helena expected. "You're a good friend to Myka," she stated to an only slightly tipsy Bridget.

The Georgian was about to make a funny retort, but noted how serious Helena was being. "I think the world of Myka. I've never met anyone like her. I mean, the world is made up of a lot of different kinds of people, but Myka," she said, looking off as she gathered her words. "She's one of the kindest human beings on this earth."

"You would do anything for her," Helena declared and Bridget nodded her head.

Bridget had no way of knowing that Helena's questioning was her way of setting the stage for what she needed. She already knew Bridget would do anything for Myka – and now she would be putting that to the test.

* * *

The night of pre-wedding celebrations ended with everyone back at the Townhouse. Myka smiled at how happy Pete was to have had his very own version of a bachelor party. "More like a fraternity party for a man who's already wed," Bridget summed it up.

"How was the shower?" Helena asked and Jane replied – "I didn't have to shoot anyone." Both women took that as a sign that it went well.

Pete hugged Helena tightly, thanking her again for giving him the best time that night. "You don't have to wear a tux," he said, just to make sure she knew.

"I can have something over here tomorrow," Sarah assured her before they left.

"Send something for Irene. She's been forbidden to choose her own clothing," Helena shared and Sarah looked at her quizzically. Helena waved her hand up and down in front of the HR Director – offering the designer all the proof she should need.

"We promise our wedding will be a lot simpler," Claudia lied and then saw the look on her fiancée's face. "Okay, maybe not."

The group left, Irene retired to her assigned bedroom, and the couple collapsed into bed. "I don't think Pete could thank you enough," Myka said as she kissed the woman with the heart of gold.

"Well, I think _you_ actually made Jane smile," Helena noted.

"Maybe we'll retire and do good deeds all day," Myka teased. "Like steal from the rich and give to the poor," she laughed.

"You would make a very good thief, Mrs. Bering-Wells, considering how many times you have stolen my heart," Helena said, kissing Myka's lips and feeling the gentle kick of the child who couldn't wait to be born.

* * *

The next day brought the usual chaotic routine of getting ready for the wedding. Helena wore a black and white dress, with satin lapels in the style of the Pete's tuxedo.

"Do you like your dress?" Myka asked Irene because she was getting ready at the Townhouse.

"I like peace," the woman said, knowing it was better to wear it than put up with Helena.

"I'll talk to her," Myka said, but Irene said she thought Myka would have an easier time with child bearing than changing Helena's mind.

Then the friends adjoined at Gracie Mansion where the Mayor dutifully performed the ceremony. The ballroom was filled with NYPD police and Wells staff. Myka sat next to Irene as she gazed up at her wife who performed the duties of the Best Woman with her usual aplomb. She stood by Pete, holding him steady when he first saw Jane come down the aisle. Her hair that was usually covered by her signature fedora now was shining with golden highlights and swept up on her head. Instead of the usual khaki colored raincoat that she seemed to wear in every season, she wore a beautiful cream colored knee- length dress.

"God! She's beautiful," Pete said his to his Best Woman.

"Yes, but who is she?" Helena asked, unable to grasp the transformation.

Then Jane joined Pete in front of the Mayor; Helena next to the groom; Officer Bell next to the bride. The Mayor finally pronounced them husband and wife and the room erupted into applause.

The reception was held at the Plaza hotel, compliments of Helena and Myka who made it their gift. When it was time to give her speech, Helena stood up and spoke from her heart.

"This man has been my bodyguard, my companion, my date on more occasions that he cares to remember, and my friend. And I like to think that my own search for my One, brought these two together," Helena teased. "I wish you both a lifetime of happy moments, a love that deepens as the years pass, and friends to always support you. It will be our honor to witness your journey together," Helena said as she raised her glass.

The only one who cried more than Pete was Myka, who gently patted her stomach and whispered – "That's your momma up there giving that speech. I really hope you get her writing skills."


	49. An Affair to Remember

**An Affair to Remember**

The whirlwind of a weekend brought everyone back to work, sans Pete who was off on his honeymoon with Jane. He promised to be back in plenty of time for Claudia's upcoming wedding. She was particularly insistent on that because Pete was like a brother to her. And since her own brother couldn't be there, she asked him to walk her down the aisle. Steve was asked to be her Best Man and set up her bachelorette party at the perfect place – the Apple Store.

The press buzz around the wedding had to do it part with the fact they believed Eileen Sullivan was the heir to the Wells Corp CEO spot. Every indication was that she was still being groomed, and from the latest deals that were signed, she was doing quite well. The couple adorned the cover of Forbes Magazine as two of the _'30 Under 30'_ ; the annual list of the brightest young entrepreneurs, breakout talents and changed agents in different sectors.

But the mass media's favorite couple was still Helena and Myka, of course, and now that Myka was expecting, they tried to get every shot they could. Some were determined to find out who the father of the baby really was. Myka was well aware of the tabloids tactics, having learned the hard way over the years. But she was cautious never to read them or pay them any attention. She knew they often skirted the very thin line between libel and reporting. She felt her lawyer skills would keep them in check.

Helena had a slightly different approach.

She had a great deal on her mind with the impending Sullivan-Donovan wedding and truly was out of patience with the rest of the world. She had made arrangements for Claudia's brother, Joshua, to arrive and surprise her before the wedding. Unfortunately, he missed the flight, and the next one he could get had him arriving the same day of the event. Claudia still believed he couldn't make it. The opening of the HG Wells museum was on schedule thanks to Leena, but there were still many decisions for Helena to make about what should be included. She was particularly stressed about Amelia Brown's exhibition and that it should be perfect.

This would explain why Helena was getting more assertive when the reporters approached Myka and the altercations were on the rise. " _On the Defense_ " read the headlines one morning as the press caught on that it would take very little to rile the Brit up – which was always good for business. Myka had cautioned Helena that, as her Chief Counsel, these run ins could result in grievances and to please be patient with these people who, by all accounts, were just trying to make a living. As her wife, Myka thanked Helena for being her protector.

The next time it happened, Helena tried a new approach to her badassery. She invited the offending perpetrator to her office at _1866 Times Square_. The man sat smugly in his seat, thinking he was about to get the opportunity of a lifetime to photograph the renowned CEO. What he got instead was a thinly veiled threat on his life.

Helena sat behind her large desk looking impeccable in a sleeveless white dress with swirls of black and blue design. The colors were an expression of what she'd really like to do to him. She wore blue sapphire dangling earrings that matched the dress, as well as blue high heels. The coat and bag that accompanied the outfit were strewn somewhere in the office.

She had spent the morning arguing with Irene on how to handle this situation, and they finally reached a compromise.

"Mrs. Frederic is here as a witness that I am not threatening you in anyway," Helena began her monologue, an eyebrow arched as she smiled. "She will, if necessary, testify that in our short time together, I shared that I do not know _any_ personal information about you, even though with a press of a button, I could gather whatever info I want," she grinned devilishly. "Mrs. Frederic could also say truthfully, that I asked you to please cease your attempts to photograph Mrs. Bering-Wells' every move. However….," Helena said as she stood up, walked slowly around the desk to where the man sat and bent down, next to his ear and continued, "…she will not be able to say that she heard this – If you approach my wife one more time, I will rip your arm out of its socket. I will then use it to gain access to your apartment on 23rd Street, Apartment 2F, and destroy every picture that is contained in your abode."

With that, Helena stood erect, sat on the edge of her desk, crossed her arms and smiled broadly.

The man sat wide-eyed in front of her, and turned to look at Irene, who simply smiled kindly at him. She had gotten Helena to agree that assaulting the man in public was not the way, and this was the middle ground she conceded to finally. "She's serious," is all she said to him.

"Do you have any questions for me?" Helena asked in a sing-song tone, as if she really meant it.

"You….you….can't," he was trying to form words and not lose control over any bodily functions at the same time.

"Thank you for coming in," Helena smiled, "…and do give my best to Betsy. Isn't it funny that your lover has the same name as your boss' wife? What are the odds?" The glare she shot him pushed him back in his seat.

The man grabbed the sides of the chair and pushed his body to rise out of it. Irene stood and pointed to the door, as if there were any other way to leave. He stammered all the way out and was escorted by security out of the building.

"I hope we don't have to do that again," Irene confessed to Helena.

"I rather enjoyed it," Helena said gleefully, because she felt she had relaxed the rules about their celebrity status. Now, with the baby coming, she was going to have to reestablish those lines in the sand.

* * *

Helena would survive something worse than her encounter with the press in the next couple of weeks – the shower for the brides-to-be. Myka insisted that they should go in spite of Helena's wails that such events were unnatural and evil in the effects of how they bored one to death. The Brit gave a very good dramatic performance, but in the end, she found herself sitting at a table in a room filled with women who ooo'd and aww'd every time a box was opened.

Eileen's family was more than cordial to her boss and mentor, but that didn't mean they weren't curious about her. This was especially true for Eileen's Aunt Rose; who had taught her niece the secret to making the perfect cup of tea. Helena won her over by admitting that it was, in fact, a mystery of science that only Eileen could produce such the exquisite elixir. Kathleen Sullivan was calm and friendly and welcomed both Helena and Myka with opened arms. Helena survived it, but only because Myka promised her a reward for such good behavior.

And finally, the day arrived.

Sarah Styles designed Eileen's simple, yet elegant, white wedding dress, floor length with a lace back. Claudia opted for a classy two piece white suit with silver blouse and matching shoes. She was getting ready to walk down the aisle with Pete, when Helena arrived and asked if the procession could wait. Helena was dressed in a red dress that draped off her shoulders, with a sexy v neck design that slightly exposed Helena's assets.

She took Claudia aside and told her that she hoped she liked her wedding present. "I'm sure I'll love it, no matter what it is," Claudia said, finding it odd that her friend decided _then_ to tell her.

"Oh, I know you will, " Helena replied, with her usual self-confidence.

When Claudia turned around, there was her brother, fresh from the airport, all decked out in his tuxedo, standing there. "May I walk you down the aisle?" he said and Claudia stood there stunned.

"But …you….how?" she asked, fighting back tears and swallowing hard. "Can't cry. I can't cry," she repeated. She turned back to Helena when she realized this was her doing. "I don't know what to say!"

"Say you'll let him walk you down the aisle," Helena winked and kissed Claudia on the cheek. "You're a beautiful bride," her friend whispered before taking Pete's arm and returning to her seat next to Myka.

Joshua held out his arm, Claudia took it and proceeded to walk down the aisle, smiling broadly. She joined Steve on the makeshift altar and waited for the music from the live musicians to swell, announcing the arrival of the second bride. The doors opened and there stood Eileen on the arm of her father, John Sullivan; her mother on the other side of her. The trio slowly walked down the aisle behind the flower girl who diligently dropped rose pedals along the way. Aunts grabbed tissues and cried, cousins smiled and took pictures, and everyone thought these two were the cutest couple ever. It was so easy to see how much in love they were just by looking at them.

Eileen's cousin, Father Pat, officiated the wedding, even though it was in his civil capacity. The vows that each bride had written were spoken and evoked another round of tears from those touched by the simplicity and sincerity with which they were spoken. The rings were exchanged and they were pronounced officially married.

While Helena and Myka's wedding was covered by every news organization, there was a more select group sent to cover the Sullivan-Donovan affair. Members from the top technology magazines such as _WIRED_ and _PC World_ were allowed to be present for the celebration. This was, after all, the wedding of one of the most talented techies they had ever known.

And Claudia did not disappoint!

Among the points of interest that they would write about were – small drones overheard taking pictures; live streaming from where they couldn't determine because they had no idea Sui was an android with high streaming capabilities. There was a six tier white wedding cake that Claudia had set to reflect the light projection, specifically chosen for her bride. Cascading over the cake layers were the Disney depictions of Cinderella's castle, complete with fireworks. Guests were invited to stop by the 3D printer where small action figures of themselves were produced as party favors. Pete spent his time doing different poses for them, because he had a literal interpretation of the word – _action_.

The family and friends enjoyed every moment of the festivities. Helena and Myka danced to a slow song and almost stole the show from the brides.

"I want to be as happy as they are," Eileen gushed as she and her new bride danced. Claudia stopped and stared into the corn silk blue eyes of her wife. "I promise to always do my best to make that so," she said sincerely.

Kathleen Sullivan thanked Helena and Myka for all they had done and John asked Myka if he could dance with her wife. Although slightly overweight, the man was incredibly light on his feet and gently guided Helena across the floor to a slow song. "We can't thank you and Myka enough," he said and noticed he never realized just how stunning Helena Wells was.

"It is our pleasure," Helena responded truthfully.

"Not just all of this, with the wedding and Kathleen," he laughed. "I mean…," and he stopped dancing and held Helena in place as everyone else danced around them. "….I mean for all you've done for our daughter. You've been a wonderful role model for her, being a strong woman and all. Not that her mother isn't, mind you," he added quickly, and Helena could see the twinkle in his eye. "You gave her something we couldn't. You gave Eileen her history, her beginning. I think she feels better knowing that," the unselfish father shared. Helena stared back at the man she had come to know and like very much.

"You tempt me to make a cloning device, Mr. Sullivan. The world needs more men like you," Helena said to him and he burst out in a laugh and started to dance again.

"Could the world handle more than one of me?" the father of the bride laughed.

Helena was certain it could.

* * *

When the dance was over, she stood by the bar, simply so she could gaze upon her wife from afar. Bridget was sitting next to Myka now and had her laughing at whatever she was saying. Helena loved to watch Myka's laugh – the way her eyes glistened and her cheeks blushed.

Pete walked over to get Jane another seltzer. "Just giving some advice to the newlyweds," he said, sniffing air through his nose and jutting out his chin, his thumbs pushed into his belt.

"Well, you've been married all of three weeks now. Surely, you have much to say," Helena teased and nudged her shoulder into Pete's.

"I told them to play nice and fight fair," the philosophical bodyguard shared before he left and brought his wife's drink back to her.

* * *

"He's going to make a wonderful father," Irene whispered, having heard his sentiment as she walked over.

"He's very wise," Helena lamented, as Irene sipped her white wine.

"Yes, I know that," Irene said, baiting her friend. Truth be told, she enjoyed the back and forth with Helena as much as the Brit did.

"Tsk," Helena uttered. "I wonder if Mr. Lattimer would be interested in becoming the HR Director at Wells, given how wise he is. I could use someone with that aptitude in the position. No, he probably wouldn't want the demotion," she added, a sly grin appearing on her face.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Helena," Irene said, her chestnut eyes watering a bit as she verbally swatted back, and then hugged her dear friend. It was the rare occasion that wine affected the older woman, but the wedding was one of those times. "And what would you do without me?" Irene said, putting her arm around Helena's waist and hugging her.

Helena stared down at the woman, trying not to be one-upped by her affectionate play. "Oh, I'd find something for you to do," the Brit said, unable to not smile at the exchange.

"I could run your museum!" Irene said, snapping her finger.

"No, I need a docent who is pleasant to be with and speaks well of the Wells," Helena retorted and Irene playfully slapped her arm.

Then they looked out at the young married couple who were dancing on the dance floor. "Eileen is the second luckiest person in this room," Irene said.

"Oh? And Claudia is the first?" Helena guessed, puzzled by the woman's comment.

"Actually, my dear," Irene said, putting her arm through Helena's and pulling her away from the bar, "….. I was talking about Myka." And with that, she walked Helena back to her wife's table where they rejoined their friends.

* * *

The festivities ended, and although many of the friends wanted the night to continue, Helena and Myka left to go home. Pete kissed Jane before getting up to ready the car to take the couple home. "I'll be back," he said, leaving her in the best of company.

Bridget watched the interaction before she leaned over to the new Mrs. Lattimer. "You're a saint," she said because she wasn't sure she could share her spouse as graciously as Jane did.

The detective smiled as she watched her husband hurry to take care of his charges. "It's one of the things I love most about him," she confessed.

* * *

Alone, finally, in the quiet of their home, Myka collapsed in Helena's lap as she sat on the couch. "That was a really nice wedding," Myka said sleepily.

"I think we should forbid any more for a while," Helena said, and wasn't kidding. "In fact, I think we should ban all social engagements on the entire isle of Manhattan until the baby is born." Helena could not say the word without placing her hand on Myka's stomach and gently rubbing it.

"It won't be long now," Myka said, her eyes too tired to stay open and she drifted off to sleep.

Helena smiled, and cupped Myka's face, bending down and gently kissing her lips. "Indeed," she said and thought of all the wonderful things the three of them would do together. She played with a wisp of Myka's hair as she watched her breathing even out as she slept. Helena fought the sleep that her body craved because she didn't want to stop looking at Myka.

"I think Irene might have been wrong …..again," Helena whispered as she spoke to her future heir; her hand placed gently on Myka's stomach.

"You are the luckiest…to have this woman as your mother."

* * *

 **A/N The wedding outfits, as well as the Disney-themed wedding cake, can be seen on Pinterest at ManhattaniteNYC.  
**

 **I think this is wrapping up - so up next - the Epilogue. What would you like to see addressed before we end this installment? Let me know.**

 **Many, many thanks.**


	50. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Helena and Myka dressed the morning of the HG Wells Museum opening, and went downstairs for breakfast. They were – as Helena put it – on a very tight _schedule_. "Say it again," Myka practically giggled as she asked Helena to repeat herself.

"We're on a very tight….," Helena said and then noticed Myka stood there with her finger in her mouth, watching Helena's lips intently. "Shed-yool," Helena said and Myka melted into a silly grin.

"I love the way you say that," she said, toughing Helena's lips softly. "Shed-yool," she repeated.

'Okay, Ladies," came the boisterous call of the private banker as she entered the house. "What the hell is that…?" she asked, the aroma hitting her as soon as she entered the hallway. She had no way of knowing it, but she had just past the test. "Hey, there you are….," Bridget said, coming through the door of the dining room where the couple had just finished tea and scones. "So, big day," Bridget began, sounding more like a New Yorker than her southern self.

"Indeed," Helena said and had a totally different reason than the banker did.

"Everyone is ready for the opening," Bridget said, looking at her IPhone and going over the list.

"Bridge, we wanted to talk to you," Myka began and looked at Helena to reconsider one more time because she didn't think this was great timing.

"Nonsense," Helena said, reading her wife's expression perfectly. "The woman can handle anything."

Bridget looked up from her phone, looked at Myka and read her trepidation, but Helena's words were a compliment to her ears. "Why, yes, I can," Bridget said, pulling up a chair and sitting down.

"We've talked about this and decided to share something ….," Myka began carefully, giving her wife ample opportunity to decide that she had come to her senses and agree they should have this for another time.

"It's twins?" Bridget asked, because she couldn't imagine what else they wanted to share.

"No," Myka laughed, putting her hand on her protruding stomach. "Although it feels like that sometimes."

Helena heard the hesitancy in Myka's voice and feared she was stalling. They simply didn't have time for stalling.

"The last time I did this I had Irene present to help the person deal with the news. Alas, the woman has seen fit to forgo my invitation and go straight to the gallery. I do question that woman's priorities," Helena lamented, now sidetracking herself.

"The nerve," Bridget said, because she understood that relationship. She had told Myka that she gave Irene Frederic a great deal of credit for not acting like the mother-in-law she really was to her.

"Bridget, I have decided that you are the closest thing to a best friend my wife has," Helena began and Bridget looked at Myka and whispered – " _Closest thing_?" "This realization comes with certain benefits," Helena continued. "I tolerate what you believe to be a sense of humor, for example," the Brit shared.

"Well, thank heavens for …," Bridget said, but it wasn't her turn to speak and Helena's expression told her that. "Sorry; you were saying…."

"Being Myka's friend means I have certain expectations; ones that must be met," Helena outlined and Myka smiled uncomfortably at her friend.

"What Helena means…," Myka tried to soften the intensity.

"What I mean is that you have certain responsibilities to Myka, especially in any time of need," Helena belabored the point.

Bridget looked at Helena and tried to translate what she was saying. "You …want me…to …do something?" the banker guessed as if she were playing Jeopardy and chose the _Myka Bering_ category for $500.

Helena was having trouble understanding how Bridget could not understand what she was saying. Surely, it was simple enough.

"We've been talking," Myka said, trying to back up a little to give her friend some context.

"You want me to be Godmother!" Bridget said, because it had been on her mind and she was wondering if she would be asked.

Helena was more than willing to try things Myka's way, but when the woman started to treat this conversation like it was a fill-in-the-blanks exam, Helena lost patience.

"I want you to sit there and be silent," Helena commanded. "I mean that with the utmost respect or you wouldn't be here. But what we have to tell you is of the greatest importance, so I need you to focus and take in what I'm about to say."

"Sure," Bridget said, never offended by Helena's brusque manner. She admired Helena too much not to forgive her flaws.

Helena looked over at her wife now and drew in a deep breath. "You will no doubt have many questions after you hear what I'm about to say, but I would suggest you wait and take it in first."

"Alright," Bridget said and then bit her lip.

"When you attend the museum opening today, you will see many items there from my own collection. I have those items because they are mine. Through a process that I do not wish to explain now, I was suspended in time for many years. I was awoken after decades in a secret warehouse overseen by a group of people who were taking care of me. I am, Ms. Cummings; the HG Wells."

Bridget listened and took in what she was hearing. Of course, it didn't make sense. "You're telling me," she said slowly and then looked at Myka whom she trusted without question. "She's telling me that she is the one and the same HG Wells; locked up in a time capsule and released into the 21st century?"

"I know this is hard," Myka said and put her hand on Bridget's to assure her.

The banker pushed back in her chair as she thought it over. There was no reason in the world for her to think they weren't pulling a prank except, Helena didn't do pranks. There was no reason in the world they would lie, because Myka didn't lie. Her face scrunched up as she tried to make this ridiculously cut piece fit into the puzzle that was….. Helena Wells.

And strangely enough; it fit.

"Okay," Bridget said because Helena told her to hold her questions.

"A great deal of thought was given to sharing this information with you," Helena said even though the phrasing might have been a slight exaggeration. Once Helena decided Myka might need the woman in any time of need, the decision was made. "It means that you now know something very few people know. It's a blessing and a curse," Helena reflected thoughtfully.

"There was really no way to ask your permission," Myka said; an idea that never even entered Helena's mind, but Myka had laid up at night thinking about.

"Why…are you telling me?" Bridget asked, even though it wasn't the Q&A session yet.

"Should Myka even need you, in my absence," Helena began and her jaw tightened at the thought, "….you should know the truth. And the truth, Bridget, is that I am HG Wells."

Helena had to admit; saying that felt really good. Really, really good.

The Investment Banker's brains flashed with thoughts. She had always been surprised that when Helena started out in business, she had seemingly amassed a fortune for someone so young. She was quick to surmise now that Helena's inheritance had been waiting for her all those years.

"Okay, then," Bridget said, because she wasn't exactly sure what the appropriate response was for this kind of news. Then it came to her. "I won't tell a soul." And she meant it. She wasn't sure that her wife could handle this kind of information, even if she wanted to tell her. "So that night, you were drun…had a couple of drinks," she said more delicately, "…you were telling the truth when you said you wrote all those books."

Helena didn't care to reflect back on that evening when she foolishly competed with the woman on alcohol intake. "Indeed."

"I'll be damned," Bridget said and smiled at Myka. "This all makes sense to me somehow."

"Really?" Myka asked, surprised, but relieved.

"I'm not sure I can even explain it, but it does," Bridget thought out loud.

"Good, well, that's that," Helena said, as if she were checking off the items on the to-do list.

Bridget was more quiet than usual, but that didn't stop her from quipping: "Imagine the money we could make if she put her name of a wrinkle cream," to Myka as she was leaving.

Myka hugged her friend goodbye and said they would see her soon at the opening. Then she returned to her wife, who sipped her tea as if she didn't have a care in the world.

* * *

"Shall we?" Helena asked and the couple ascended the stairs to get ready for the gala event.

The press lined up outside Belvedere Castle, flashing pictures of the long line of invited guests. Helena and Myka were at the head of the group of guests as reporters asked Helena what this meant to her.

"It's like coming home in a sense," she said cryptically. Myka understood what she meant because it was the first time ….since London so many years ago …..that many of Helena's things were together in one place. Even the Warehouse had emptied her room in the Achieves to return her belongings.

The last two to rush down the long velvet roped path were the newlyweds, who hurried there from the airport. A flurry of flashes erupted as the young couple kissed and waved before ducking inside. The twosome looked sun kissed and relaxed as they joined their friends.

Leena had done a magnificent job of seeing to it that every item was placed just so with detailed information. Original manuscripts were encased in glass so visitors could see the works of HG Wells. There was a whole room of the inventions of Helena Wells, which spurred the writings of her brother, Charles. People marveled at the first rocket, drawings of what alien ships might look like, and a prototype of a Time Machine.

There was an entire gallery dedicated to Amelia Brown, showcasing her early writings on obstetrics that would take the male dominated medical field years to come up with the same ideas. Gloria Brown stood over the glass case under the title " _Broken Communications_ " …with an explanation of how these two wonderful women, who could have been the best of friends, were kept apart.

Gloria turned when Helena and Myka entered the room. "Oh, Helena," was all the woman could get out before breaking down into emotional tears. "She would be so proud," the nurse said, unable to hold back sobs.

"She would be so proud of you, my dear," Helena said and squeezed the nurse's hands in hers. "I want you to have this. For obvious reasons, I cannot display it where it rightfully belongs," Helena said, handing a long envelop to Gloria.

The nurse thanked her again, returned to the wonderful display and took in every item that bound the patient and doctor all those years ago. It wasn't until she stepped outside, on a balcony overlooking the park, did she open the envelop and read -

" _My dearest Amelia,_

 _I will concede in addressing you by your first name although I feel it a shame not to call you by your rightful prefix of "Doctor". I am certain, were you given the opportunity that would be your rightful title._

 _I wanted to thank you again for all you did for baby Christina and me. It wasn't just your skillful hands in the delivery, but also your wise and wonderful words you imparted. As you probably could tell, this event was not embraced by my family out of concern for my reputation and their good name. They have enacted the fabrication they dreamed up about a cousin thrice removed who bears the same last name. I insisted that Christina would have my name and so they felt I forced their hand. I struggled to keep the light on this event for the wonder it was, in spite of the tension that surrounded me. And then you came – as if sent by heaven. Your kind words and generous nature were what really got me through. You instinctively knew how worried I was that my decision not to tell the father was cheating the baby of so much. Yet, you reminded me that what was essential for her was love, and that I could give her all she would require. Where my family saw deficit, you saw abundance, and I can never repay you for that._

 _I hope you will write me in London when you can and know that I will always be here for you my friend, should you ever need anything._

 _Your friend,_

 _Helena G. Wells_

Tears streamed down the woman's rounded cheeks and, as if on cue, a white tissue appeared. She readily accepted it, surprised at how easily her emotions came out that day. Irene smiled at her as if she understood.

"She's an amazing woman," Gloria said, dabbing her eyes now, certain there was no mascara left.

Irene smiled and looked through the open doors to gaze at the woman in question. "That she is," Irene said and put her hand on Gloria's shoulder. "That she is."

* * *

The friends toured the entire museum – Pete, Jane and Officer Bell; Sarah and Bridget, who viewed everything through a new lens; Artie and Vanessa, as he tried to guess how much this entire event cost; Steve and Jack, who traveled from West Point to be there with him; and of course, the newlyweds.

"This is totally amazing," Claudia said, as she held onto her wife's hand throughout the walk.

"I don't think amazing is the correct word to use as it is a proof of the genius of Helena and Charles Wells," Sui argued and Eileen laughed.

"True, Sui, but still pretty astonishing," Eileen tried, but the android was unconvinced. To him, it was purely factual.

"Not time for discussion," Millie said, grabbing his arm, "Come try the pastries I made." She knew better than to let anyone bother the just married couple.

Jane dropped her napkin, but before Pete could move a muscle, Officer Bell dropped her hand and retrieved it. "Thank you," Jane said and drained her glass of chilled water.

"I'll get you another. Hydration is very important," the young NYPD officer said and was gone in a flash.

"I think we're going to need a bigger house," Pete laughed, thinking there was no way Officer Bell would leave Jane's side.

Helena gave a short speech – thanking everyone for coming; Leena for spearheading the project and Gloria for contributing so many of the items. Then she implored the guests to enjoy themselves as she and Myka slipped outside alone on the balcony.

* * *

"Do you like it?" Helena asked her wife, because that was all that mattered to her.

"Oh Helena, it's wonderful," Myka said, taking Helena's hand and kissing her. "You're finally getting some of the recognition you so richly deserve."

The sun was setting, and the rays managed to find their way through the concrete buildings that outlined the park, just enough to reflect in Myka's eyes. Nothing compared to the feeling Helena got when staring into those green orbs. Calmness always came over her, a joy always filled her heart, and she felt wrapped in Myka's adoring love.

"Have I thanked you for coming into my life?" Helena said, leaning against the stone railing as she and Myka stared into one another's eyes.

"Have I thanked you for waiting for me," Myka said, aware that their backdrop right now was her wife's work across the centuries.

"I would wait forever," Helena replied and they kissed, the sun rays bathing them in a halo effect. Their closeness, though challenging, meant they shared in the sensation of the future Heir's movement.

"She's excited to arrive," Myka said, smiling when tears welled up in Helena's eyes as the sensation always evoked. "Can you imagine what our future with her will be like?"

Helena leaned back and turned them both to stare out at Central Park and the city beyond its borders. "The future, my dear Myka, is going to be a wondrous place."

* * *

The couple enjoyed the calm aftermath that brought quiet nights and long weekends, as Myka's body prepared her for the arrival. She was particular busy one weekend as she insisted that every item needed to be in its place; not just in the nursery, but in the entire Townhouse.

That's when she entered the basement and heard it.

" _I am ready for her, Myka_ ," she distinctly heard and immediately yelled for Helena. The fact that the Brit heard her name come up the stairs in three …long…syllables…. Told her she was going to have to answer for something. She was certain it was the mess downstairs.

"Oh, I meant to get to it, Darling," Helena said, putting her most apologetic foot forward as she descended the steps. When she reached the bottom step and saw the expression on her wife's face, she knew it wasn't about the mess that lay behind her. Myka wasn't that much of a control freak.

"Anything you want to share?" Myka asked and her literal wife took the question literally.

"Oh, well, yes. I do think this _obsessive_ cleaning of yours is actually a sign of _nesting_ , a condition many pregnant women experience shortly before the baby is due….," the scientist shared. "It's believed to be the body's way of getting ready ….for the baby," Helena continued her dissertation as she walked around, never once catching on that she was going down the wrong path.

"Helena," Myka said and the tone made her wife stop in her tracks.

"Yes, Darling?" the clueless former Warehouse Agent asked.

"I just heard a voice; a very distinct voice," Myka said slowly.

Helena meant to tell her, but there just hadn't seemed to be a good time to share that the Warehouse entity was somehow connected to their home.

"A voice?" Helena asked, looking directly at the door that led to her underground transportation system, by which the Warehouse had sent her belongings.

Myka watched as her wife, almost comically, shifted her weight and moved her body as if caving in under the weight of the secret. "Myka, the Warehouse …has taken it upon itself to ….offer us protection. In the house. To keep us safe. All of us," Helena said, in broken short sentences.

Myka had finally wrapped her head around the fact that the entity had never really let go of its favorite inhabitant and decided it was because it truly saw Helena for all that she was – the _real treasure_ inside the Warehouse. But now it was embedded ….in their home? That was a little too close for comfort.

Trying to make Myka see the upside to this situation, the former Agent blurted out how the Warehouse had enhanced their security system and was single handedly keeping nosey reporters at bay. "It even kept your parents away that night," Helena laughed nervously and then realized what she had said.

"It….shocked my parents?" Myka asked, astounded.

Helena tried to recoup her losses. "It was …protecting us," she tried and moved into Myka as close as she could to hold her hands.

"It wouldn't hurt anyone, would it, Helena?" Myka asked in a hushed tone. "It's not listening to us or watching us, is it? Because that would be super creepy."

Helena was so relieved to hear Myka's calmer tone that she let out a sign of relief. "No, no, Darling. It seems to only use what current is in the house and redirects it to a source as needed. It's here to help, of that I am certain."

"And it listen's to you? It will do as you say?" Myka asked, again in a hushed tone.

"Yes, Myka," Helena assured her.

"Okay," Myka said, not having the energy to argue with an invisible entity at the moment. "You'll tell it what to do, yes?" she asked, as she took Helena's hand and proceeded upstairs.

"Yes, dear," Helena said, as she willingly followed. "Any time you want."

Suddenly, the grasp on Helena's hand tightened and the Brit winced, thinking Myka was driving home her point.

"It's time," Myka said and Helena thought she wanted her to convey a message right now. Helena twisted to face the stairs and shouted down – "Myka and I would appreciate it if you would not take any matters into your own hands….OUCH!"

She turned to see what was displeasing her wife to make her squeeze her hand so tightly.

"No, Helena! It's time. She's coming!"

All the times they practiced for this very moment - Myka sitting in the hallway practicing her breathing and Helena running to get the bag and alert the staff – didn't seem to help at all.

"OH MY GOD!" Helena said, excitedly, but the exuberance made the brilliant woman slow down. "This is really happening!"

"Yes, Helena!" Myka said when she saw her wife standing there amazed instead of moving. "Call Pete, alert Gloria and get the bag from the hallway closet," Myka said carefully.

"Pardon? " Helena asked as if she weren't the other person in charge. It finally clicked. "Yes, yes, Pete. Text Gloria," she said as she frantically dialed and told Pete it was time. Then she texted Gloria and Irene and ran back and forth as she tried to remember the next thing.

"The bag we packed," Myka said between painful contractions. "In the closet," she said, bending over and trying to breath.

"Where…exactly ….?" Helena said, because she rarely used the enclosure. By reason of deduction, and a couple of tries at the wrong doors, she finally found the bag.

Within minutes, Pete was helping them get into the car and Jane was putting the swirling red police light on the top of the car.

"I always wanted to do that," Pete said as he dashed through traffic to the hospital.

* * *

Myka was admitted, Gloria was there to meet them, but Helena kept pacing back and forth. "The doctor will be here shortly," the staff assured Helena, but that wasn't who she was waiting for.

Without the benefit of the red light to magically move traffic out of the way, it took Steve a little longer to get Irene to the hospital. As soon as she arrived, Gloria noticed the difference in Helena.

"We're ready," the doctor said, after measuring Myka's dilation. "She's ready," she said and the nurse got Helena dressed to go inside.

An hour later, as Irene, Pete and Jane were joined by Claudia, Eileen, Bridget, Sarah, Steve, Millie and Sui, Helena appeared in the doorway. She told them Myka was fine and the baby was beautiful.

"Come," she said and led the entourage down the hallway to Myka's room. They waited for Helena to join Myka, who was holding the baby. Slowly they stepped inside, no one wanting to get too close – except Irene who walked next to Helena.

"We would like you to meet our daughter ….," Myka smiled as she pushed the blanket back a little so every could see her face.

The crowd ooo'd in unison quietly, as the infant squirmed the tiniest bit. Her hand seemed to move up, as if waving to her newly adopted group of aunts and uncles.

"I am so teaching her about sports," Pete said when he moved closer.

"What's her name?" Eileen asked anxiously.

Myka's face beamed as she turned the baby to face the group and said: "This is Cate."

"She's beautiful," the friends said in unison and asked Myka how she was doing.

"Congratulations, Helena," Irene said, staring lovingly at the baby. "I never asked you what names you were considering."

Helena smiled at her friend. "We wanted a strong name for her. So we each picked names that meant a great deal to us. Her middle name is Elizabeth," Helena explained.

"Ha," Irene laughed, thinking she could have guessed that one. "I bet that was your choice."

"Actually, I chose her _second_ middle name," Helena said smiling.

"Yes," Myka said, looking at Irene. ""We'd like to introduce - Catherine Elizabeth Irene Bering-Wells."

Irene looked at Helena incredulously. She didn't want to assume, but ….. "Yes," Helena said, confirming that it was in honor of her.

"Catherine Elizabeth …. _Irene_ …..Bering-Wells," Irene repeated slowly, choking back tears.

"I'm glad I can still surprise you," Helena teased the woman that she felt was Cate's rightful grandmother.

"There's only one thing you can never do," Irene said thoughtfully and the Brit's expression cast dispersions on that thought. "You will never cease to amaze me, Helena," Irene explained.

The group of wonderful friends did not overstay their welcome. For the first time, Helena and Myka were alone with Catherine.

* * *

"She's just beautiful," Myka said and handed her to her mother.

"She takes after you," Helena said affectionately.

"Remember, you promised to give her your accent," Myka teased.

"I'll do my best," Helena said, wondering what their child would sound like when she was older.

The sight of Helena holding the baby filled Myka with a flood of emotions. This was the first time for her, but she reminded herself that Helena had done this once before – a lifetime ago.

* * *

Mothers and baby returned to the Townhouse that Helena had originally built all those years before. She had always dreamed of bringing her family to it one day.

And that day, she finally did.

She returned with her wife, and the one and rightful… Heir.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **It was not the context of this chapter that took so long, but the desire to thank all of you properly for making this journey with me. The Heir Series was supposed to be one story back in July of 2013 and with the encouragement and interest of a wonderful group of readers, it continued for seven more installments. I have learned so much from so many of you along the way, that there are no words to adequately express how grateful I am.**

 **I want to thank everyone who stayed for one, some, or all of these installments. I have been humbled by your readership. I thank everyone who posted their thoughts, comments, questions and everyone who favored an installment or added me to your list of writers.**

 **I always felt these characters from Warehouse 13 were gifts. Mine to do with as I saw fit for a while. I will always be thrilled that the original characters – such as Bridget, Gloria and of course, Eileen Sullivan, were treated so kindly by the readers.**

 **I thank you for joining them …and me….in this semi-alternate universe. I hope when all is said and done, you will feel I've done them some justice.**

 **Until we meet again,**

 **Manhattanite**

 ***sniff sniff***


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